🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <C05Cr9.991@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:
>In article <1992Dec31.204838.14165@twisto.eng.hou.compaq.com> mccreary@sword.eng.hou.compaq.com (Ed McCreary) writes:
>>... After it's mission is finished, MO will be raised to a high
>>enough orbit to prevent it's re-entry for X thousand years.

>This may be a little academic, since as I recall, as of its shutdown in
>1972, Mariner 9's estimated orbital lifetime was only half a century.

Mariner 9's orbit satisfied the Mars quarantine requirements that were in effect
at that time.  Once astronauts land on the surface on Mars, it is
impossible to guarantee that Mars will not be biologically contaminated.
In the early 1970's, people thought for sure that Man would set foot on Mars
within the next 50 years.  
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    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
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