NASA has proposed two possible plans to bring Martian rocks back to Earth, which will be finalized under the new administration led by President-elect Donald Trump. The agency’s Perseverance rover, which collected over 30 rock samples on Mars, hopes to study them in state-of-the-art facilities to learn about the planet’s geological history and potential past life.
The two plans, estimated to cost between $6 and $7 billion, aim to cut costs from the original plan of $11 billion. The options include using a sky crane system or a landing system developed by private companies. An orbiter built by the European Space Agency will bring the rocks back to Earth.
The Martian rocks have the potential to change our understanding of Mars, the universe, and ourselves. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that pursuing two potential paths forward will ensure significant cost and schedule savings. A final decision is expected in the second half of 2026.
Meanwhile, the Perseverance rover continues its journey on Mars, with the next phase focusing on collecting samples from a quarter-mile drive to another area with layered bedrock. The rover’s hunt for Martian rocks is far from over, and scientists hope that studying the samples will reveal insights about the planet’s history and potential life.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/18/nasa-mars-rock-samples-perseverance-trump/77688922007