H
Acronyms and Abbreviations
ATLO
assembly, test, and launch operations
ATP
adenosine triphosphate
CETEX
Committee on Contamination by Extraterrestrial Exploration
COSPAR
Committee on Space Research
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid
EDL
entry, descent, landing
ESA
European Space Agency
EURECA
European Retrievable Carrier
GCM
general circulation model
GPR
ground-penetrating radar
GRS
gamma ray spectrometer
Gya
billion years ago
ICSU
International Council for Science
JPL
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
LAL
limulus amebocyte lysate
LDEF
Long Duration Exposure Facility
MARSIS Mars
Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding
MAV
Mars Ascent Vehicle
MEPAG
Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group
MER
Mars Exploration Rover
MOLA
Mars Observer Laser Altimeter
MRO
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
MSL
Mars Science Laboratory
MSPSG
Mars Science Program Synthesis Group
MSR
Mars Sample Return
NAS
National Academy of Sciences
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NHB
NASA Handbook
NMI
NASA Management Instruction
NPR
NASA Procedural Requirements
NRC
National Research Council
NSF
National Science Foundation
OCSSG
Organic Contamination Science Steering Group
PAH
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Pc
probability of contamination
PCR
polymerase chain reaction
Pg
probability of growth
PP
planetary protection
R&D
research and development
RNA
ribonucleic acid
rRNA
ribosomal RNA
SHARAD
shallow radar
SSB
Space Studies Board
TBD
to be determined
TES
thermal emission spectrometer
T-RFLP
terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism
UV
ultraviolet