Which mission is cited as a modern parallel to Galileo's disposal for Planetary Protection reasons?
Answer
The Cassini mission, which plunged into Saturn's atmosphere in 2017.
The controlled disposal of the Galileo spacecraft established a crucial precedent for responsible deep-space exploration protocols. A direct modern parallel cited for following the same stringent Planetary Protection standard is the Cassini mission. After successfully completing its extensive survey of the Saturn system, Cassini was intentionally guided into Saturn’s atmosphere in 2017. This action was taken for the identical rationale: to guarantee that the spacecraft would not accidentally impact Enceladus, another icy moon suspected of harboring subsurface oceans and thus possessing potential habitability.
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