Where is the Forward-Contamination test?
It has occurred to me that one thing missing from our current suite of Mars research is an experiment to specifically test WHAT items from Earth's biota could survive on Mars. This is a simple test, involving a Mars-surface simulation chamber and taking biological samples in and out, seeing how long they survive.
it's quite a useful and important test, since it will guide both "planetary protection" and "terraforming"...