ANALOGUE SAMPLES IN AN EUROPEAN SAMPLE CURATION FACILITY - THE EURO-CARES PROJECT.

The objective of the H2020-funded EURO-CARES project (grant agreement n° 640190) was to create a roadmap for the implementation of a European Extraterrestrial Sample Curation Facility (ESCF) that would be suitable for the curation of samples from all possible return missions likely over the next few decades, i.e. from the Moon, asteroids and Mars. The return of extraterrestrial samples brought to Earth will require specific storage conditions and handling procedures, in particular for those coming from Mars. For practical reasons and sterility concerns it might be necessary for such a facility to have its own collection of analogue samples permitting the testing of storage conditions, and to develop protocols for sample prepartion and analyses. Within the framework of the EURO-CARES project, we havecreated a list of the different types of samples that would be relevant for such a curation facility. The facility will be used for receiving and opening of the returned sample canisters, as well as for handling and preparation of the returned samples. Furthermore, it will provide some analysis of the returned samples, i.e. early sample characterisation, and is expected to provide longterm storage of the returned samples. Each of these basic functions requires special equipment. Equipment, handling protocols and long-term storage conditions will strongly depend on the characteristics of the materials, and on whether returned samples are from the Moon, Mars or an asteroidal body. Therefore the different types and aspects of analogue samples one need to be considered, i.e. the nature of the materials, which analogues are needed for what purpose, what mass is needed, and how should the analogue samples be stored within the facility. We distinguished five different types of anologue samples: analogue (s.s.), witness plate, voucher specimen, reference sample, and standard. Analogues are materials that have one or more physical or chemical properties similar to Earth-returned extraterrestrial samples. Reference samples are well-characterised materials with known physical and chemical properties used for testing. They may not necessarily be the same materials as the analogues defined above. Standards are internationally recognised, homogeneous materials with known physical and chemical properties that are used for calibration. They can also be used as reference samples in certain circumstances. They may be made of natural materials but are often produced artificially. A voucher specimen is a duplicate of materials used at any stage during sample acquisition, storage, transport, treatment etc., e.g. spacecraft materials (including solar panels), lubricants, glues, gloves, saws, drills, and others. In addition, Earth landing site samples (from the touch down site) would be necessary in case of doubtful analysis, even if normally this type of contamination is not expected. Finally, a witness plate is defined as material left in an area where work is being done to detect any biological, particulate, chemical, and/or organic contamination. It is a spatial and temporal document of what happens in the work area. Analogue materials could be solids (including ices), liquids or gases. These could contain biological (extant and/or exinct) and/or organic components. They could be natural materials, e.g. rocks or minerals, or could be manufactured, such as mixtures of different components, which may be biologically and/or organically doped. Analogues with appropriate sample size and nature will be well-suited for testing and training of sample handling procedures, and for transport protocols. The training of science and curation teams also requires reference samples and standards. Long-term storage needs special witness plates and voucher specimes. Developing and testing sample preparation protocols needs all sample types

EURO-CARES: GETTING EUROPE READY FOR SAMPLE RETURN MISSIONS - AN EMPHASIS ON RESTRICTED MISSIONS.

EURO-CARES (European Curation of Astromaterials Returned from Exploration of Space) was a three year (2015-2017) multinational project funded under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research programme. The objective of EURO-CARES was to create a roadmap for the implementation of a European Extra-terrestrial Sample Curation Facility (ESCF) suitable for the curation of samples from all possible return missions, to the Moon, asteroids, Mars, and other bodies of the Solar System. Here we summarize the main recommendations from the final project report for design and infrastructure requirements to allow the curation of samples from restricted bodies such as Mars. Over the course of the project, the team has visited various facilities and companies, to gather best practices, bring innovative ideas, and build a strong network with the international sample curation community. Visits were made to the astromaterials curation facilities of NASA and JAXA, and to related facilities from the nuclear, cleanroom and BSL-4 sectors. Two successful collaborations with architects (Space architecture department of the Technical University of Vienna (Austria), then Merrick and Co. in Kanata (Canada) [1]) resulted in the development of more refined requirements and tentative designs for a Mars Sample Return (MSR) facility. All possible activities that would take place in a MSR facility were first identified. All activities related to receiving, assessing, and opening the Earth Return Capsule are performed in a Sample Receiving Facility. Further activities, such as curation, Sample Early Characterization, andstorage would be performed in a Sample Curation Facility (SCF). The SCF would also include a suite of instruments necessary for analyses defined in a Biohazard Assessment Protocol and for Life Detection. In addition, an Analogue and Mock-Up Facility (to be constructed first) would be used to assemble an analogue material collection, to test instruments and building materials/techniques, and to train staff members. A MSR facility needs to integrate both cleanliness and containment principles, to keep the samples pristine, and to fulfill the Planetary Protection requirement of having a probability of release P<10−6 for an unsterilized particle larger than 0.1 µm [2]. Primary enclosures for restricted samples were considered: depending on the activities, it was recommended that cabinets similar to the ones used in BSL-4 laboratories, or Double-Wall Isolators should be used [3]. Laminar flow cleanrooms were recommended for limiting cross-contamination while allowing flexibility in the future. Because of the European nature of the project, the facility should be located in Europe. Other parameters, such as limited natural hazards, countries with histories of BSL-4 laboratories and space exploration expertise, would also need to be taken into consideration. Owing to so many uncertainties and decisions to be taken (such as the possible widespread use of robotics), it is impossible to evaluate a precise financial cost for such a facility, however, we estimate that a fully fitted MSR facility would cost at least 200 M€. Location, use of robots, cleanroom regime, instrumentation capacities, etc. are amongst the parameters that can drive the costs for the initial construction, and during the life of the facility. It is estimated that a minimum of 7 to 10 years would be necessary to define the requirements, design, build, and commission the facility, while training the necessary staff. It is highly probable that such a facility will have various funding partners (space agencies, institutions, countries, etc.); a complex financial arrangement takes time to come to completion. A MSR facility is a complex project, not only for the engineering aspects but also for financial and political reasons. In view of the timeline of sample return missions from Mars, it is imperative to move forward with this project as soon as possible. The design we developed encompasses the principles of Flexibility, Modularity, and Adaptability. References: [1] Hutzler A. et al. (2017) 47th ICES, 323. [2] Ammann W., et al. (2012. ESF-ESSC Study Group on Mars Sample Return Requirements, ISBN: 978-2-918428-67-1. [3] Vrublevskis J. B. et al. (2016) EURO-CARES WP3 Meeting, p. 27. Acknowledgements: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no 640190