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Lessons in space regulations from the lunar tardigrades of the Beresheet hard landing

The recent disclosure regarding possible biological consequences of the Beresheet hard landing on the Moon raises concerns relating to planetary protection policies. Here we analyse legal and regulatory aspects of the landing of tardigrades and other biological material on the Moon and suggest possible ways to manage challenges arising therefrom.

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Correspondence to Dov Greenbaum.

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Shahar, K., Greenbaum, D. Lessons in space regulations from the lunar tardigrades of the Beresheet hard landing. Nat Astron 4, 208–209 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-1034-2

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