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Not just your own risk... There are other people on the road who share that risk. It makes me angry at Elon Musk himself. First he didn't sterilize that stupid

Not just your own risk... There are other people on the road who share that risk. It makes me angry at Elon Musk himself. First he didn't sterilize that stupid thing he sent into interplanetary space. Now he's putting peoples lives at risk.

ams6110 9y ago
Well there's plenty of unsterilized stuff in space. The early space missions just dumped the bodily waste of the astronauts overboard.
- macawfish 9y ago
  Yeah, but it's coming back to Earth, where it came from. This is an object that could land on Mars or another planet. Great measures have been taken in the past to ensure that other planets aren't contaminated before we've had a chance to understand their existing biology. Elon Musk is the kid who comes and knocks over some other kids' block tower for his own amusement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_protection https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_protection
Someone1234 9y ago
> First he didn't sterilize that stupid thing Huh? Isn't it better that way, we might spread [simple] life to other planets. I'm completely serious, I don't understand what the concern is?
- macawfish 9y ago
  There may already be life on other planets. Whether or not it's simple is a short-sighted human judgement. Look at the big picture. We risk denying these planets the ability to evolve in isolation. That is a decision that cannot be reversed. Do we really want to do that? Maybe so, but it ought to be a conversation. Great measures have been taken to reduce the risk of contaminating other planets with Earth based lifeforms. Then, this belligerent guy comes along and disregards all that.
  - Someone1234 9y ago
    > Whether or not it's simple is a short-sighted human judgement. You realize I was talking about your "contamination" (e.g. bacterial organisms, microscopic lifeforms, etc)? > We risk denying these planets the ability to evolve in isolation. Seems like a fairly limited risk. It is more likely these planets have no form of life at all and that we'd seed their only life (if it could sustain there). > Great measures have been taken to reduce the risk of contaminating other planets with Earth based lifeforms. You're conflating craft that were designed to land on other planets and look for life on them, with a space craft.
walrus01 9y ago
Have to disagree with you there. It is in a fairly normal solar orbit. There are a shitload of dead 3rd stages and satellites in solar orbit. They were not sterilized. National space agencies have been launching things into earth escape velocities without sterile procedures for 40 years. If it were designed to land intact on Mars that is another story

ams6110 9y ago

Well there's plenty of unsterilized stuff in space. The early space missions just dumped the bodily waste of the astronauts overboard.

macawfish 9y ago
Yeah, but it's coming back to Earth, where it came from. This is an object that could land on Mars or another planet. Great measures have been taken in the past to ensure that other planets aren't contaminated before we've had a chance to understand their existing biology. Elon Musk is the kid who comes and knocks over some other kids' block tower for his own amusement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_protection https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_protection

Someone1234 9y ago

> First he didn't sterilize that stupid thing Huh? Isn't it better that way, we might spread [simple] life to other planets. I'm completely serious, I don't understand what the concern is?

macawfish 9y ago
There may already be life on other planets. Whether or not it's simple is a short-sighted human judgement. Look at the big picture. We risk denying these planets the ability to evolve in isolation. That is a decision that cannot be reversed. Do we really want to do that? Maybe so, but it ought to be a conversation. Great measures have been taken to reduce the risk of contaminating other planets with Earth based lifeforms. Then, this belligerent guy comes along and disregards all that.
- Someone1234 9y ago
  > Whether or not it's simple is a short-sighted human judgement. You realize I was talking about your "contamination" (e.g. bacterial organisms, microscopic lifeforms, etc)? > We risk denying these planets the ability to evolve in isolation. Seems like a fairly limited risk. It is more likely these planets have no form of life at all and that we'd seed their only life (if it could sustain there). > Great measures have been taken to reduce the risk of contaminating other planets with Earth based lifeforms. You're conflating craft that were designed to land on other planets and look for life on them, with a space craft.

walrus01 9y ago

Have to disagree with you there. It is in a fairly normal solar orbit. There are a shitload of dead 3rd stages and satellites in solar orbit. They were not sterilized. National space agencies have been launching things into earth escape velocities without sterile procedures for 40 years. If it were designed to land intact on Mars that is another story