NASA Invests $10 Million in Mars Sample Return Proposals

NASA Invests $10 Million in Mars Sample Return Proposals

Keywords: Mars sample return, Perseverance rover, Blue Origin, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin

Washington, D.C. – NASA has announced that it is investing $10 million in proposals from Blue Origin, SpaceX, and other companies to develop plans for returning samples from Mars to Earth. The samples, which will be collected by the Perseverance rover, will help scientists better understand the history and evolution of the Red Planet.

“This is a major step forward in our efforts to bring back samples from Mars,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “These proposals will help us design a mission that will safely and successfully return these valuable samples to Earth.”

The Perseverance rover is scheduled to launch in July 2020 and will land on Mars in February 2021. The rover will spend two years exploring Jezero Crater, a site that was once filled with water. Perseverance will collect samples of rocks and soil that could contain evidence of past life on Mars.

The Mars Sample Return mission is a complex and ambitious undertaking. It will require the development of new technologies, including a lander that can safely land on Mars, a rover that can collect and store samples, and a spacecraft that can return the samples to Earth.

NASA has been working with industry partners to develop these technologies for several years. The $10 million investment announced today will help to accelerate the development process and bring the Mars Sample Return mission closer to reality.

The proposals that NASA is funding will cover a wide range of topics, including:

Blue Origin: A reusable lunar lander that could be used to transport samples from Mars to Earth.
SpaceX: A spacecraft that could dock with the Perseverance rover and transfer the samples to Earth.
Lockheed Martin: A sample collection system that could be used to collect and store samples on Mars.

NASA will evaluate the proposals and select one or more companies to develop a detailed plan for the Mars Sample Return mission. The mission is expected to launch in the early 2030s.