NASA is set to make an announcement today on the future of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) project, which aims, as the name very much suggests, to return samples of rocks and soil to Earth.
Rovers placed on the Red Planet have been tasked with collecting samples of it.
During their time on an alien world, they have found plenty of interesting rocks and soil worthy of further human attention.
Earlier this year, for example, Perseverance collected samples of a rock which may be ideal for finding signs of ancient microbial life.
The rock can even tell us about Mars’s climate conditions that were present when it was formed.”
Though humans have successfully landed robots and probes on Mars (and even the occasional helicopter), we have never lifted off from the surface of another planet before.
As well as performing this feat for the first time, the Mars Sample Return mission would then see the sample rendezvous with a spacecraft that will bring the samples to Earth.
According to the report, the project was “established with unrealistic budget and schedule expectations from the beginning”.
Today, NASA is scheduled to release a statement regarding the status of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) project, which is named after the goal of returning soil and rock samples to Earth.
The mission of the rovers stationed on the Red Planet is to gather samples. They have discovered many intriguing rocks and soil that merit more investigation by humans during their stay on an alien planet. Perseverance, for instance, recently gathered samples of a rock that might be perfect for identifying traces of prehistoric microbial life.
Ken Farley, project scientist for Perseverance at Caltech, stated in a statement, “To put it simply, this is the kind of rock we had hoped to find when we decided to investigate Jezero Crater.”. The rock we recently sampled contains almost exclusively minerals that were formed in water; on Earth, minerals deposited in water are frequently effective at ensnaring and preserving organic matter that is very old, as well as biosignatures. Even information about the climate on Mars during its formation can be gleaned from the rock. “.”.
According to preliminary analysis, the rock was once a part of an old lake.
Despite the wealth of knowledge that can be gleaned from Perseverance’s onboard instruments, samples 24 and similar ones must be brought back to Earth in order to shed light on the ancient climate and geology of Mars and look for evidence of prehistoric life.
Replacing these samples is not an easy feat. Although we have launched from the surface of another planet before, humans have only ever successfully landed robots, probes, and occasionally even helicopters on Mars. The sample would then meet up with a spacecraft that will transport the samples to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return mission, which would also see this feat accomplished for the first time.
If you’re thinking, “This sounds expensive,” then you agree with the Independent Review Board’s (IRB) September 2023 report that NASA received. The project was “established with unrealistic budget and schedule expectations from the beginning,” the report claims. Although acknowledging the mission’s scientific significance, the review board stated that there is “near zero probability” that any of the mission’s components will be completed and launched by the current 2028 deadline due to “technical issues, risks, and performance-to-date.”.
After the report was released, Sandra Connelly, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for science, released a statement saying, “Independent review boards like the one we commissioned for Mars Sample Return help review whether we’re on the right track to meet our mission goals within the appropriate budget.”. “We appreciate the board’s efforts, and now it is our responsibility to review the report and determine whether any program components require adjustment. “.
