NASA’s Answer to Mars Sample Return Problem

NASA’s Answer to Mars Sample Return Problem: Develop Two Plans
The Perseverance rover has been collecting Martian rock samples since 2021, but NASA is still figuring out how to bring them back to Earth.
NASA asked for cheaper ways to get Mars samples. It had one all along.
Recent exceptional rock discoveries have only mounted pressure on NASA to solve the problems facing its Mars Sample Return mission, its plan to fly bits of rock, dust, and air collected by Perseverance back to Earth.
NASA overhauls plan to bring samples from Mars back to Earth
NASA on Tuesday announced an overhaul to its plan to collect samples from Mars and return them to Earth. Agency officials said they have decided to scrap parts of their original plan to cut down on the mission’s technical difficulty and cost and to shorten the timeline for when the samples could be brought back.
NASA’s Big Mars Update: How to Watch the Upcoming Sample Return Reveal
The space agency will provide a broadcast update on the marquee mission that is intended to recover samples of Martian rock for study on Earth.
NASA collected Mars rocks to haul to Earth. It still hasn’t decided how.
The Mars Sample Return mission has been ranked as the highest priority by planetary scientists, who hope to find signs of ancient life on Mars.
NASA exploring two lower-cost options to go forward with Mars Sample Return mission
NASA announced Tuesday that it is exploring two options to move forward with its mission to return samples from Mars at a lower cost.
NASA to Announce Plans to Bring Samples of Mars Back to Earth
In October 2024, NASA announced the assembly of a new team to assess the future of the Mars Sample Return mission, with a full report anticipated by the end of 2024. Odds are good that the livestream will provide the findings of this report.
NASA hedges its bets on costly Mars rock mission
Previously, the Mars Sample Return mission had been estimated to cost around 11 billion dollars and would not return a sample until the 2040's, noted Nelson, who said a re-evaluation of the mission had to be done because "this thing had gotten out of control."
NASA Will Let Trump Decide How to Bring Mars Rocks to Earth
The Mars Sample Return effort was billions of dollars over budget and not expected to return to Earth with its samples until 2040.
NASA proposes cheaper, quicker way to get Mars rocks and soil to Earth
NASA is pitching a cheaper and quicker way of getting rocks and soil back from Mars, after seeing its original plan swell to $11 billion. Administrator Bill Nelson presented a revised scenario Tuesday,
NASA Eyes SpaceX, Blue Origin To Cut Mars Rock Retrieval Costs
NASA announced Tuesday it may turn to Elon Musk's SpaceX or Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin to help reduce the soaring costs of ...
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Ancient volcanic ash on Mars could offer new clues in search for extraterrestrial life
Researchers believe dark rocks at the site of a future Mars rover landing mission may be left over from ancient volcanic ...
Mars rover drivers face a steep and slippery slog out of a crater
What’s it like to be one of the few on Earth who can drive a rover on Mars?