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The existence of extraterrestrial life or proto-life organic evolution in isolated environment of Mars is question of ontological magnitude.

Mars is probably the only place in solar system where some living forms may exists. The extraterrestrial environments are protected by Outer Space Treaty. All NASA spacecraft sent to other planets must undergo meticulous procedures to make sure they don't carry biological contamination from Earth to their destinations.

affirms that the search for extraterrestrial life is an important objective of space research, that the planet of Mars may offer the only feasible opportunity to conduct this search during the foreseeable future, that contamination of this planet would make such a search far more difficult and possibly even prevent for all time an unequivocal result, that all practical steps should be taken to ensure that Mars be not biologically contaminated until such time as this search can have been satisfactorily carried out, and that cooperation in proper scheduling of experiments and use of adequate spacecraft sterilization techniques is required on the part of all deep space probe launching authorities to avoid such contamination

May massive human presence avoid massive contamination?

Antarctica pollution

Antarctica pollution

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  • $\begingroup$ "Mars is probably the only place in solar system where some living forms may exists." Exists as in is living right now? I think Europa has a better chance of that. $\endgroup$
    – Andrew Thompson
    Jun 5, 2015 at 8:20
  • $\begingroup$ well, I'd said probably.. that not means that we could take our shits on alien planet.. I am wonder if SpaceX even had concerned the issue. There is an army of environmentalists who are ready to fight for desert Antarctic island but entire plant is aimed for colonization without any discussion.. $\endgroup$
    – Val
    Jun 5, 2015 at 14:11
  • $\begingroup$ "..entire plant is aimed for colonization.." Is it? I'd heard 'futurists' saying that for decades, but that doesn't mean it's actually imminent. Personally I think Mars would be a poor place to colonize. Better to use raw materials from the moons, asteroids and and ice rings to make orbital space stations. It would ..just require a much higher scale of significantly simpler engineering. ;) $\endgroup$
    – Andrew Thompson
    Jun 5, 2015 at 14:19
  • $\begingroup$ it is not a futuristic concept it is a plan..Exploration of Mars geology, chemical evolution ad eventually organic evolution is more beneficial for humanity than some depended on earth supply martian colony , a hybrid between Mcmurdo and Alcatraz.. "Mars is ours" "Occupy Mars" every big tragedy begins with propaganda. every possibility for remote exploration must be tried first.. The massive contamination of other planet is an irreversible act <imdb.com/title/tt4078386> $\endgroup$
    – Val
    Jun 5, 2015 at 14:55
  • $\begingroup$ colonization of Mars <nextbigfuture.com/2014/08/…> $\endgroup$
    – Val
    Jun 5, 2015 at 16:36

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First of all, it's doubtful that decontamination procedures on US rovers landed thus far were even completely effective, and let's not talk about the Russians.

That aside, I think the answer to your question is most definitely: No. The human presence is in constant contact with its germ-spewing inhabitants and will most certainly contaminate the landing site by way of some slightly leaking seal or some such. The question is, if the germs have any way to hide from the sterilizing UV rays and make in into potentially life-bearing soil layers. The next question is if Earth-evolved bacteria could even compete with Mars-Lifeforms on their own turf.

http://www.astrobio.net/news-exclusive/the-overprotection-of-mars/#sthash.AdI6gYkT.dpuf

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  • $\begingroup$ Yes, Viking is the only fully sterilized lander. About the link - I am astonish to read this: "..that planetary protection policies and practices designed to guard solar system bodies from biological contamination from spacecraft need to be re-evaluated because they are “unnecessarily inhibiting” a more ambitious agenda to search for life on Mars. that guy play with dialectics better than Putin. We have only one solar system.. – $\endgroup$
    – Val
    Jun 4, 2015 at 16:27

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