NASA Updates Mars Sample Return Mission 4i3x1r Plans to Lower Costs

NASA’s press conference on Jan. 7 will reveal updated Mars Sample Return mission plans p4q4q

Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 6 January 2025 17:00 IST

NASA Updates Mars Sample Return Mission, Plans to Lower Costs

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech q3j9

MAV launches from Mars to deliver samples to orbit

Highlights

NASA to unveil new Mars Sample Return mission strategies
Perseverance rover’s Mars samples key to Mars exploration
Timeline pushed back to 2040 due to rising costs

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Mars to Earth for detailed scientific study, has faced challenges related to cost and timeline, with estimates suggesting a potential expenditure of $11 billion and a completion date as late as 2040. This announcement is expected to shed light on efforts to address these issues.

Mars Sample Return Goals and Challenges 391c53

ESA), using a lander to retrieve samples from Perseverance and a separate spacecraft to return them to Earth.

Reports suggest that the program's rising costs and technical complexities have led to significant revisions. A cost estimate of $3 billion in 2020 increased to $11 billion by 2024, and assessments have highlighted delays that could extend the timeline to 2040. NASA Bill Nelson stated during an April 2024 media briefing, covered by Spaceflight Now, that such delays and costs are "unacceptable."

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Industry Collaboration to Reduce Costs and Time 3m264b

Efforts to streamline the mission have been ongoing, with the involvement of private industry to propose cost-effective solutions. During a December 18 briefing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Nelson remarked on the importance of incorporating industry expertise, which could lead to accelerated timelines and reduced costs.

China's plans to launch its own Mars sample return mission by 2028, aiming for a 2031 completion, have added competitive urgency to NASA's project. Details of the revised plan and the role of external partners are expected to be outlined during the briefing.
The event will be available for public listening on NASA's official website.

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