Launched into space using a super-heavy rocket SpaceX Falcon Heavy electric Tesla Roadster may represent a threat to Mars, say scientists from Purdue University (USA). Machine sooner or later may fall to the Red planet and contaminate it with terrestrial bacteria that can eventually completely flood.
“Available on the Tesla microbes can be viewed as a biological threat or a backup of life on Earth,” commented Alina Alexeenko, a Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University.
In a published statement on the website of the institution States that the staff of the division of planetary protection NASA undertake everything to ensure that any spacecraft that could potentially be on other planets, were sterile. This is done in order to protect local organisms, of course, if any.
“If on Mars there is a biological life, that is, the risk that these organisms will mix with the earth. Whether terrestrial organisms are more adaptable and inhabit Mars, then we know the biosphere? Or they are not as strong as Martian organisms? We don’t know,” added Professor Jay Melosh, specializing in earth, atmospheric and planetary studies.
Since the car was not planned to put somewhere, and no procedures for purification from earthly microbes it did not pass.
“Even if he was sterile from the outside, the engine may be dirty. The machine is not going to clean. In addition, there is a big difference between purity and sterility”, notes Melosh.
The fall of the sports car created and launched by companies, Elon musk, Mars is very unlikely, although the planet is on it’s way. In General, extremely low and high temperature, low pressure and cosmic radiation are detrimental to living organisms, but, as was shown including those conducted on the International space station experiments, some bacteria are capable of under the best of circumstances to survive in a vacuum in a state of suspended animation.
On Earth, scientists have long used methods of freezing or dehydration of the organisms to store them. This, in particular, relates to vaccines, Biopharmaceuticals and microorganisms.
The researchers suggest that the Tesla Roadster will be in space within a few tens of millions of years. Such a long presence in the space environment can become a kind of sterilizer. Some space missions to study other planets in the Solar system specifically tailored to ensure that after the completion of a research spacecraft could be a long time to be on the orbits of these planets to the cosmos in the end could destroy any life form that somehow managed to survive on Board of the aircraft.
“Space coupe” Elon musk can infect all of Mars
Nikolai Khizhnyak