NASA's Mars mission journey begins in California 'clean room'

United States' National Aeronautics and Administration on December 27 informed that it's Mars 2020 rover will head off for Red Planet in coming year.  NASA project includes a collection of samples on planet in search for traces of ancient microbial life. mission's journey began in a "clean room" in California like Voyr, Galileo, and Cassini. On Friday, one of two ultra-sterile labs used for craft assembly at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, on outskirts of Los Angeles, was briefly opened to journalists. 

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David Gruel, operations manr for Mars 2020 told media persons on Friday that NASA needs to keep hardware as pristine and as safe as possible until it reaches Mars. 

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Journalists sterilized

Before entering research facility, journalists reportedly went through a lengthy sterilization process. Gruel explained that process was necessary so that unwanted material from earth is mixed up with samples collected from Mars. cleansing gadgets included automated shoe brushes and sticky mats that remove particles from shoes before guests even reach locker room. In next step, visitors were made to wear a "bunny suit" to prevent contamination which had sleeves sealed with adhesive tape along with face masks, latex gloves and even beard protectors for more hirsute. In final decontamination procedure, y pass beneath a pulsating "air shower" that blasts away last unwanted particles. restriction and precautions for entering facility did t end re. As per reports, journalists also had to remove foam covers from ir microphones - a breeding ground for germs. Moreover, specially approved paper and pens were provided, in place of traditional writing implements which can shed dust and or particles. Makeup and perfume were also t allowed to be worn. 

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Necessity for sterilizing craft

Gruel informed that rover also is regularly scrubbed with isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber mop, and lab's air is filtered 70 times per hour. Such protocols are also applied to technicians who work on crucial sampling equipment which are in fact more stringent. Gruel told that y can't take a shower, ba day y work on hardware. y can't even put any hair products into ir hair to style it, y can only wear one or two types of deodorant. NASA scientist explained that precautions are a result of mistakes like lighting up cigarettes while building craft which turned out to be pretty costly. In 1962, sterilization of Ranger 3 mission accidentally fried rocket's electronics, causing it to miss Moon by more than 20,000 miles.  

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