A Quarantine to Contain Extraterrestrials

Neil Armstrong (from left), Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins at the press conference leading up to the Apollo 11 manned mission to the Moon. (NASA/Apollo 11 Press Conference/Courtesy Flickr)

Just before their flight to the moon on July 5, 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins sat through a pre-flight press conference in a box-like structure that separated them from the members of the press. This structure was a part of an elaborate design to protect the astronauts from exposure to any infectious diseases during their preflight period.

Scientists of that time, preparing to send the first manned mission to the Moon, were still unsure whether life existed on the lunar surface. They did not want to take any chances, especially as the crew of previous Apollo missions reported minor illnesses like respiratory and skin infections, which may or may not have been caused by exposure. And so began the Lunar Quarantine Project, a long and strict quarantine of the three astronauts, crew and scientists exposed to lunar samples. So strict was this quarantine that even President Richard Nixon was turned down from hosting the astronauts before their flight.

The Quarantine Project

The Lunar Quarantine Project comprised elaborate procedures, equipment and facilities to ensure that the Apollo astronauts, crew and scientists were protected from exposure to toxic chemicals and unknown biological organisms, even if the possibility was remote.

First and foremost were the equipment and resources needed to handle the lunar samples. The Manned Spacecraft Center, recognized now as the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, became a dedicated facility to receive the lunar samples at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory. This laboratory would comprise the crew reception area, the sample operations area, and the administration and support area. The crew reception area housed the Apollo 11 astronauts, their support staff, and the actual Apollo Command Module for the duration of the isolation.

The Apollo astronauts splashed into the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, and went into quarantine immediately. They were recovered with the help of rafts and flotation gear that had been sunk into the sea to be sterilized. The crew was picked up by a helicopter. For the quarantine to be successful, it was essential to maintain an isolation barrier from the time the astronauts were recovered from the Command Module in the Pacific until they arrived at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston. Thus, a Mobile Quarantine Facility was designed.

The crew of Apollo 11 interacts with President Richard Nixon (right) via intercom in the Mobile Quarantine Facility. (Photograph courtesy NASA)

The crew members landed from the helicopter on the quarantine facility aboard the U.S.S. Hornet. This quarantine facility was essentially an all-aluminum travel trailer modified to serve as an isolation unit. The structure was airtight, designed for easy road transport, and equipped with a diesel generator and battery to power its environmental control system. It was flown to Houston on July 27, and placed in the crew reception area of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory.

The quarantine facility’s kitchen contained a decontamination airlock to pass items into and out of the trailer. Lunar sample containers, film and other equipment from the Command Module were passed out to be transported to Houston. The quarantine plan required complete isolation of the approximately 21.55 kg of lunar samples brought back by the Apollo 11 astronauts to prevent contamination from the lunar material and the risk of back-contamination by Earth organisms and materials.

The Apollo 11 mission lasted for eight days, from July 16 to 24, 1969. The astronauts were released from their quarantine on August 10. In fact, Armstrong celebrated his birthday while in quarantine, on August 5.

Planetary protection

The Lunar Quarantine Program started with the Apollo 11 mission. Subsequent lunar missions included not just post-landing, but also a pre-launch quarantine, known as the Health Stabilization Program. The first such program was implemented with the Apollo 14 mission.

Under the contemporary Health Stabilization Program, crew members and close contacts undergo a quarantine and receive vaccinations prior to launch to prevent exposure to pathogens. This is mandatory for all spaceflight missions. For example, the International Space Station (ISS) crew is required to undergo a 14-day preflight program, inclusive of quarantine and immunizations, and limited and controlled contact with non-crew members.

As human exploration of Mars is a major goal, NASA’s Planetary Protection policies are designed to promote responsible exploration of the solar system and protect Earth and other space bodies from cross-contamination. Additionally, the Committee on Space Research, an international body formed in 1958, provides guidance on procedures related to human missions to outer space and other areas of scientific research. The committee’s principles and guidelines endorse a conservative approach to initial human missions to Mars, “consistent with the lack of knowledge of Martian environments and possible life, as well as the performance of human support systems in those environments.” The cautionary procedures and experiences of the Apollo 11 mission have formed the foundation of guidelines for future human missions.

President Richard Nixon finally welcomed the Apollo 11 astronauts in the central Pacific recovery area aboard the U.S.S. Hornet on July 24, 1969. The Lunar Quarantine Project was retired after Apollo 14, as scientists concluded that none of the examinations had produced any evidence of biological activity in the lunar samples, nor had they found the lunar material to be harmful to human life or other Earth life forms. The crews of Apollo 15, 16 and 17 were spared the experience.

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