Here are links to publically available documents related to planetary protection, astrobiology, and solar system exploration that you can read online or download and peruse at your leisure. Most documents are presented in HTML format which you can read online; others are in AcrobatÆ PDF format as noted (you will need the free Acrobat).
Please also see document summaries of selected reports.
NASA Technical Documents, and Reports
(please note that if the direct link to a NPR or NPD is no longer active, you may be able to search for the document at the NODIS Library)
- Handbook for the Microbial Examination of Space Hardware (NASA-HDBK-6022, 8.17.2010)
- A Draft Test Protocol for Detecting Possible Biohazards in Martian Samples Returned to Earth (NASA/CPó2002-211842, October 2002) (PDF)
NASA Documents and Books related to Planetary Protection
Committee on Space Research of the International Council for Science
Reports of the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council
Reports Relevant to Planetary Protection and Astrobiology
Reports Relevant to Solar System Exploration

