The chunk of plutonium is very well shielded. Curiosity is more likely to be irradiated by cosmic rays than it is by its RTG.
It doesn't matter anyway, as some microorganisms are known to endure exposure to open space for years. Sterilizing Curiosity would likely be impractical (its size and weight are comparable to a small car, which is much larger than a potato). A smaller probe designed for finding life and only that could be a safer bet.
It doesn't matter anyway, as some microorganisms are known to endure exposure to open space for years. Sterilizing Curiosity would likely be impractical (its size and weight are comparable to a small car, which is much larger than a potato). A smaller probe designed for finding life and only that could be a safer bet.