A Ground Support Biobarrier (GSB) for recontamination prevention

Area of Science:

• Planetary Science
• Microbiology
• Aerospace Engineering

Background:

• Space agencies like NASA and ESA must prevent Earth microbes from contaminating celestial bodies such as Mars and icy moons.
• Spacecraft assembly involves functional testing, but recontamination during ground operations necessitates frequent re-cleaning, impacting mission timelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a novel Ground Support Biobarrier (GSB) for continuous protection of flight hardware.
• To mitigate microbiological re-contamination risks during spacecraft assembly and testing phases.

Main Methods:

• The Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group (BPPG) at NASA JPL designed a GSB using aluminum components sealed with epoxy.
• The GSB is compatible with 150°C Heat Microbial Reduction (HMR) sterilization and Vapor Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP) sterilization.
• The design ensures HEPA-filtered venting and allows for hardware functional testing without compromising the barrier.

Main Results:

• The GSB provides a continuous protective enclosure for flight hardware from sterilization through integration.
• It allows for essential functional tests while maintaining a sterile environment.
• The GSB significantly reduces the need for re-cleaning, thereby mitigating schedule risks.

Conclusions:

• The Ground Support Biobarrier offers a robust solution to prevent microbiological re-contamination in spacecraft.
• This innovation enhances the efficiency of spacecraft assembly by minimizing re-cleaning events and schedule impacts.
• The GSB is a vital tool for ensuring planetary protection protocols are met during space mission preparation.