In addition to this cost is the cost of using the Deep Space Network (DSN). Imagine if every probe that we sent out were still actively sending back data. The DSN would have to be much larger than it is and scheduling all the different data dumps would be complex. Solving these two problems are possible but is expensive, and that money could be used to fund new probes that will produce terabytes (petabytes?) of newer and more interesting data.

There are a few old probes that we continue to query on occasion, such as the Voyagers 1 and 2, but they are providing us with interesting new information, such as data concerning the edge of the Solar System through an extended mission called the Voyager Interstellar Mission. They and New Horizons are in unique positions in the Solar System, or maybe I should say “out of the Solar System.”

I think a concern is that Earth bugs could survive and grow, meaning that future missions to find life would have to determine if the life form was native or a transplant.

A problem with any prolonged mission is that it costs a lot to process the data. Maintaining a staff is expensive. I seem to recall a couple examples posted here of things being shut off because continuing operations was just too expensive on Earth and not because the vehicle was dead/dying.

Those same friends are talking this week about Cassini and it’s “Death Dive” courtesy of all the media attention and TV coverage. That kind of PR is pure gold for NASA and ESA.

If I had to guess, I would bet there were two groups lobbying for Cassini’s somewhat early demise: One group that really really really wanted to do the extra-dangerous Ring dives that might destroy the probe, and one group that knew the PR value of diving thru the Rings and then, if the Probe survived, into the planet itself, would be a huge boost for funding a follow-on mission.

Leaving Cassini in a stable orbit for a few more years to die a quiet death would never have gotten the same attention.

Just laziness.

If dropping it into Saturn was to save ground crew cash then just say so.

And to use ‘it outlived its expected lifetime’ is a real poor excuse. That is like throwing away a 2.5 million dollar car because it was only expected to operate for 2 years.

Lets just stop operating all the Mars rovers, they have outlived their life expectancy.

Exactly how much ground crew does it take to receive data and store it for use by others?

But they could have left Cassini in a stable orbit and received data for the next 10 or more years.
Instead they wanted a few more fancy flyby’s and thus used up the fuel for a stable orbit.

It also frees up most of the ground personnel and facilities for something else or just saving money.

But the excuse of infection is stupid. Unless some aliens told NASA to leave the area alone.

Well, yes I do, to kill any life it might have on board so it doesn’t infect any of the moons in case of accidental impact.
But didn’t they just infect the atmosphere of the planet?

One of the theories is that Mars and Earth might have exchanged DNA/RNA in the past by extreme meteor impacts. Or the fringe idea that life started outside the solar system and came here by asteroid.

So if life can be exchanged between Mars and Earth exactly what is the reasoning that it hasn’t already been exchanged among all the planets?

So if life can be naturally exchanged in the past why not now? It could be happening right now to day.
And what is the plan to differentiate between new and old life forms on other planets. If they do not have one in place they need to make one.
Contamination WILL happen in the near future. Its unstoppable.
So in my opinion all these efforts to stop it are just excuses to slow down exploration and raise its costs.

By the way I look at any biological contamination from Earth as just a good start to transforming. And and as a second depository for life in case of a planet wide catastrophe on Earth.