NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green and Lisa Pratt, NASA planetary protection officer, discussed future efforts to ensure exploration missions do not contaminate other bodies or bring contaminants back to Earth at the 2019 International Astronautical Congress in Washington. Credit: SpaceNews/Debra Werner

WASHINGTON – As part of its planetary protection campaign, NASA is encouraging companies to establish a working group to establish standards to ensure spacecraft do not accidentally transfer extra-terrestrial biologic material to Earth.

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Debra Werner is a correspondent for SpaceNews based in San Francisco. Debra earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. She is a recipient...