What will we populate space with?
Even before the end of the 21st century, humanity will most likely be able to spread terrestrial life to other planets. But first it must answer some serious questions.
The Cassini space probe exploring Saturn completed its mission on September 15, 2017. It was set on a collision course with the gas giant and when it entered its atmosphere, it was crushed by pressure that increased with depth. The remnants evaporated under the immense heat.
Cassini didn’t have to end up that way. Earth’s operators could have let it drift around Saturn for years to come. But they deliberately didn’t allow it to, fearing the risk that it would collide with Saturn’s ice-covered moon Enceladus in the future. Scientists suspect there is an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy shell where life could potentially exist. The fall of the Cassini probe could cause the Earth bacteria on board to spread to Saturn’s moon. In this way, humans could have contaminated Enceladus’ biological environment and destroyed the perhaps simple organisms living there, even before they were discovered.
If Cassini had hit Enceladus, however, humans would have had a chance to realize the idea of panspermia. It…
