NASA has announced a postponement in selecting a strategy for retrieving Mars samples, delaying a decision until mid-2026.
NASA is examining two strategies to transport Mars samples back to Earth, yet a decision won’t be made for another 18 months. These samples, gathered by the Perseverance rover, hold the potential to uncover significant insights into Mars’ past, and possibly, signs of former life. However, the return of these samples has proven more challenging and costly than initially foreseen.
Initially, the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, a joint effort by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), was estimated to cost $3 billion in July 2020. This figure has since surged to between $8 billion and $11 billion, and even at this expense, the samples might not reach Earth before 2040.
In April 2024, NASA’s chief, Bill Nelson, highlighted the need for an MSR strategy overhaul, seeking fresh ideas from research centers, private firms, and academia. Consequently, NASA selected 11 proposals from various sectors for further development, with eight private groups receiving funding of up to $1.5 million each to continue their work.
This initiative led NASA to focus on two potential MSR approaches. The first would utilize a rocket-powered “sky crane,” similar to the system used for landing the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers. The second approach relies on private industry to develop the landing system. Employing the sky crane is expected to cost between $6.6 billion and $7.7 billion, while the commercial option is estimated between $5.8 billion and $7.1 billion. Both options present a simpler and more expedient alternative to the original plan.
A significant update in the strategy involves the use of a nuclear power source, the same type used by Curiosity and Perseverance, rather than solar panels. This choice offers two main advantages: it allows operation during the dust storm season and ensures the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) motors remain warm, crucial for the mission’s success.
NASA is actively exploring these options and anticipates a final decision by mid-2026. Should Congress provide the necessary funding, the earliest return of samples could occur by 2035. Meanwhile, China is also planning a sample-return mission, potentially launching in 2028 and returning by 2031. This mission, however, will collect samples from a single site, contrasting with Perseverance’s broader collection from diverse environments.
NASA’s delayed decision on the Mars Sample Return mission underscores the complexity and cost of interplanetary exploration efforts, while highlighting the ongoing global interest in Mars research.
Source: Space
