## NASA seeks alternative plans for Mars Sample Return mission due to cost concerns
Responding to an independent review, NASA is seeking alternative plans for the Mars Sample Return mission to reduce costs and expedite the return of samples to Earth. The original mission, estimated to cost $11 billion, was deemed too expensive and would have delayed sample return until 2040.
The independent review board concluded that the complex multi-spacecraft mission could cost as much as $11 billion, significantly exceeding the original estimate of $6 billion. Additionally, the mission timeline would have stretched until 2040, even with extended development.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed concerns about both the cost and timeline, stating that the agency cannot afford an $11 billion mission and waiting until 2040 for sample return is unacceptable. He has requested alternative plans from industry, JPL, and all NASA centers to achieve a quicker and cheaper mission within the original budget constraints.
The Mars Sample Return mission, originally envisioned as the most complex robotic planetary science mission ever attempted, involves a new NASA lander carrying a rocket to launch soil and rock samples collected by the Perseverance rover on Mars. The samples would then be collected by a European Space Agency spacecraft in Mars orbit and returned to Earth for detailed analysis.
However, the independent review board found the project infeasible due to unrealistic budget and schedule expectations, an unwieldy management structure, and technical issues. They concluded that the mission could not launch before 2030 and would cost between $8.4 billion and $10.9 billion.
NASA is now exploring alternative mission scenarios, including launching the sample retrieval rover and ESA orbiter on different timetables between 2030 and 2035. These options could potentially fit within the likely annual funding constraints, but costs could still reach nearly $11 billion.
While the mission details are being revised, the samples collected by Perseverance are safely stored on Mars. The rover has been collecting soil and rock samples since landing in Jezero crater in February 2021, storing them in sealed tubes or dropping them on the surface for later retrieval. These samples were collected at an ancient delta where water once flowed, potentially containing indicators of past biological activity.
While Perseverance can assess the habitability of Mars, it cannot directly search for signs of past microbial life. For that, the samples must be returned to Earth for in-depth analysis. The revised Mars Sample Return mission aims to bring these precious samples back to Earth for detailed study, potentially unlocking secrets about the history of Mars and the possibility of past life.