NASA Seeks Fresh Ideas for Troubled Mars Sample Return Mission

NASA Seeks Fresh Ideas for Troubled Mars Sample Return Mission

Keywords: Mars Sample Return Mission, NASA, Perseverance Rover, Ingenuity Helicopter

NASA is soliciting proposals for new concepts to retrieve the Red Planet rock and soil samples collected by its Perseverance rover. The agency’s original Sample Return Mission plan, which involved sending a spacecraft to Mars to collect the samples and return them to Earth, has encountered significant challenges.

As part of its Mars 2020 mission, Perseverance has been gathering samples since landing on the Red Planet in February 2021. The rover has so far collected 15 samples, which are intended to be picked up and returned to Earth by a future mission.

However, the original Sample Return Mission plan, which involved sending a spacecraft to Mars in 2026 to retrieve the samples and return them to Earth in 2031, has been facing technical difficulties. In particular, the spacecraft’s landing system has been a major concern.

In response to these challenges, NASA is now asking for new ideas on how to retrieve the Mars samples. The agency is seeking proposals for concepts that could be implemented by 2028, with a return to Earth by 2033.

NASA is particularly interested in proposals that:

Reduce the cost and complexity of the mission
Use innovative technologies to reduce the risk of failure
Provide a more robust backup option in case of problems with the primary retrieval system

The proposal deadline is August 1, 2023. NASA will select a team of scientists and engineers to develop the top-rated proposals into detailed mission concepts.

The Mars Sample Return Mission is a high-priority mission for NASA. The samples collected by Perseverance are expected to provide scientists with valuable information about the history of Mars and the potential for life on the planet.