NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Associate Administrator Nicky Fox are set to provide an update on the status of the Mars Sample Return mission, which has been plagued by uncertainty since 2023. The joint ESA and NASA mission aims to return scientifically selected samples from Mars to Earth, with a focus on reducing costs and complexity.
The Perseverance rover, launched in February 2021, is currently collecting Martian rock samples, which are stored in canisters on the surface of Mars. However, the mission’s budget and schedule have been criticized as unrealistic, leading to concerns that it may be axed.
In April 2024, Nelson and Fox announced that the mission had not been canceled, but was instead seeking a way forward to reduce costs and bring samples back to Earth earlier than 2040. A new team has since been assembled to assess the mission’s future, with a full report expected by the end of 2024.
The update is set to provide insight into the findings of this assessment, which will help determine the mission’s fate. The success of the Mars Sample Return mission would be a significant breakthrough in understanding the origins and evolution of Mars, our solar system, and life on Earth.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/nasa-to-announce-plans-to-bring-samples-of-mars-back-to-earth