Before astronauts can take the first steps on Mars, however, much research needs to be done to guide mission planners and hardware designers. A new report from the National Academies' National Research Council outlines the environmental, chemical, and biological hazards that NASA needs to assess before sending a human mission to Mars.

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http://www.nap.edu/books/0309084261/html/

Front Matter
i-xii

Executive Summary
1-6

1. Introduction
7-8

2. The Mars Program in Context
9-14

3. Physical Environmental Hazards
15-27

4. Chemical Environmental Hazards
28-36

5. Potential Hazards of the Biological Environment
37-44

Appendix A: Statement of Task
45-47

Appendix B: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
48-50

Appendix C: Acronyms and Abbreviations
51-52