NASA has awarded nearly $1.5 million each to seven companies for studies aimed at exploring more cost-effective methods for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. The program, which has encountered challenges due to its high cost is currently estimated at $11 billion and involves a plan requiring multiple launches to Mars.
Given the high costs and complexities, NASA is seeking simpler and more affordable methods through studies submitted by industry and academic groups. These studies are aimed at optimising the MSR architecture to reduce risks, expedite the timeline, and lower costs.
MSR, a multi-mission campaign with the ambitious goal of collecting samples from the surface of Mars and returning them to Earth, is a collaborative effort between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
The selected companies, including Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Quantum Space, and Northrop Grumman, will each conduct ten three-month-long studies to develop innovative approaches.
The mission, in its original form, would place a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) on the Martian surface to retrieve samples collected by the Perseverance rover. These samples would then be launched into orbit by the MAV, where a spacecraft would collect them and return them to Earth.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, along with Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Laboratory, is also contributing to these studies. NASA is planning to review all findings to consider possible modifications or improvements to the MSR mission plan.
Looking into innovative ideas
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that the mission will be “critical to carry it out more quickly, with less risk, and at a lower cost.” He added, “I’m excited to see the vision that these companies, centres, and partners present as we look for fresh, exciting, and innovative ideas to uncover great cosmic secrets from the Red Planet.”
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The Mars Sample Return mission is part of NASA’s broader effort to understand Mars’ early history and the formation and evolution of habitable worlds, including Earth.
(With inputs from agencies)
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
