China is promoting a mission to bring samples from Mars to Earth, in which a planetary protection laboratory will be built in the early stages of the Deep Space Science City in Hefei, Anhui province, eastern China - according to the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL), the unit that will take over part of the operation of this facility.
Xinhua reported that the planetary protection laboratory will deploy a 2-way protection system, both protecting Mars samples brought in and protecting Earth's biosphere. Responsibilities include sample disinfection, seal opening, biohazard risk handling and assessment. The facility is designed to support the deployment of important deep space missions and facilitate scientific research on Mars samples.
In April, the China National Aeronautics Administration announced the deployment roadmap for the Tianming 3 mission. The spacecraft is expected to be launched around 2028. Sampling and bringing back to Earth are expected to be completed around 2031.
Mr. Li Hang, director of development planning at DSEL, said the laboratory will serve scientific research results from extraterrestrial specimens. He also confirmed that China will comply with the planet protection policies of the Space Research Committee, in order to prevent Earth's organisms from causing biological pollution to Mars, and at the same time protect Earth from any potential extraterrestrial life forms that may be brought back with the specimens.
The new laboratory is part of China's interplanetary exploration program. In May 2021, China's Zhurong rover landed south of the Utopia Planitia delta on Mars. By May 2022, this device had moved 1,921m above the surface of Mars and collected a rich source of scientific data.
