NASA reportedly reboots Mars sample return plans, Space.com reports
Fresh architecture aims to fix the troubled Mars Sample Return plans amid rising costs and China's timeline.
TL;DR
- Space.com reports NASA is launching the Perseverance Sample Retrieval Architecture to plan sample return from the Perseverance rover.
- The effort follows reviews that flagged original plans as too costly, with estimates ranging from $8 billion to $11 billion.
- Space.com reports that China’s Tianwen-3 mission targets a 2028 launch and 2031 return of about 500 grams of Mars material.
Space.com reports NASA is starting a new effort called the Perseverance Sample Retrieval Architecture, or PSRA, to figure out how to bring back samples collected by the Perseverance rover.
The move comes after years of reviews flagged the original Mars Sample Return plans as too expensive and slow. One estimate put the bill at around $11 billion with a 2040 return date, while another suggested $8 billion and a possible 2035 window.
According to Space.com, Tiffany Morgan, director of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, mentioned the PSRA during a November 9 virtual meeting of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group. A strategy team is set to kick off in January 2027, with a final report due in winter 2027-2028.
Space.com reports that Perseverance has been on the surface since February 2021, sealing samples in Jezero Crater and leaving some on the ground for future pickup. Space.com notes those samples could hold clues about past life on Mars.
China’s Tianwen-3 mission is also moving forward, Space.com reports, with plans for a 2028 launch on two Long March-5 rockets and a goal of returning about 500 grams of material by 2031.
Bruce Jakosky spoke at the same meeting about linking sample return to future crewed missions, highlighting risks from soil compounds and dust.
The Tea
NASA is basically hitting reset on a flagship mission because the old blueprint got too pricey and dragged out. With China eyeing an earlier haul, the pressure is on to find a cheaper, faster path before the window closes.
Sources
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