COSPAR Policy on Planetary Protection

The COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection (PPP) established a subcommittee in 2023 to propose a new version of the COSPAR Policy on Planetary Protection.  The previous 2021 version of the COSPAR Policy had undergone occasional modifications after gradual evolution, without always safeguarding the coherence and readability of the text. The new version builds on the 2021 text but reflects editorial and structural adjustments to achieve consistency and better understanding of the Policy and all its components.  The new version of the Policy was adopted by PPP members on 1 March 2024 and approved by the COSPAR Bureau on 20 March 2024. (Download PDF)

For more information about the work of the Panel on Planetary Protection, see the dedicated PPP page here.