How sterile was Huygens?

[rogers_buck]

Just out of curiosity, how carefull was the sterilization of the Huygens probe? I have assumed it was extensive, but it would be good to hear from someone who actually knows. Is it even possible to completely sterilize something that produced on earth?

 

[nopatience]

is it possible to subduct that bug until it reaches a warmer temp? Ahhhhhhh its a long long long shot <img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" />

 

[vogon13]

7 years worth of solar radiation, a not too distant flyby of Jupiter and its' radiation belts/tail, cosmic rays, etc. most of the more complex nasties probably mortally wounded, viruses probably not going to find suitable host cells to replicate with, fungi probably not going to find to much decaying stuff to snack on, bacteria probably froze solid once batteries in probe died, Huygens probably will be retrieved for museum display before it thaws in Titanian hydrothermal subduction rift. For some reason I was much more worried about the Galileo atmospheric probe to Jupiter. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Don't forget flying past Venus and being thorughly cooked.<br /><br />Cassini-Huygens is a category II mission http://planetaryprotection.nasa.gov/pp/missions/current/cassini.htm - this means <br /><br />"missions to those target bodies where there is significant interest relative to the process of chemical evolution and the origin of life, but where there is only a remote chance that contamination carried by a spacecraft could jeopardize future exploration. The requirements are only for simple documentation." http://planetaryprotection.nasa.gov/pp/about/categories.htm#2<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[rogers_buck]

Thank you for the responses.