They are revamping the mission.
NASA announced on Tuesday a revised strategy for its Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, aiming to streamline the process, reduce costs, and accelerate the timeline for bringing Martian samples to Earth.
In a significant shift, NASA decided to abandon parts of its initial approach to simplify the mission’s complexity. The MSR program, a project in development for over 20 years, seeks to retrieve samples of Martian soil collected by the Perseverance rover, which has been exploring Mars since 2021. The original plan required several newly developed spacecraft to transport the samples from Mars to Earth.
NASA now plans to modify the design of the spacecraft intended to retrieve these samples from Mars and is considering two distinct methods. One approach would replicate the successful landing techniques used for the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, employing rocket-powered descent and a sky crane to lower the lander onto the Martian surface. The other involves partnering with commercial space companies to send a new type of lander to Mars. Both options are being evaluated, and NASA intends to choose the final approach in 2026.
The MSR mission has faced delays and escalating costs, raising concerns about feasibility. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson explained that earlier estimates suggested the mission could cost up to $11 billion and delay sample retrieval until 2040, a timeline deemed unacceptable. With the revised plan, Nelson hopes to bring the cost down to a range of $5.8 billion to $7.7 billion, depending on the chosen strategy, and potentially return the samples by 2035, though delays to 2039 remain possible.
NASA’s earlier concept involved a lander equipped with two helicopters to retrieve sample tubes cached by Perseverance. The samples would then be loaded into a rocket, launched into Mars orbit, and transferred to a European Space Agency (ESA) spacecraft for the journey back to Earth. While the new approach is expected to involve a smaller rocket system, it will still rely on ESA’s return vehicle for the final leg of the mission.
Despite cost concerns and competition from China’s space program—which aims to complete a Mars sample return by 2031—Nelson emphasized that NASA’s mission is scientifically focused, aiming to unlock key insights about Mars’ geological history and the possibility of ancient life. “This mission is fundamentally different from China’s,” Nelson said, downplaying any notion of a space race.
According to Nicky Fox, head of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, the mission holds immense value. “Mars Sample Return will provide critical data on the planet’s climate history, geology, and the early solar system, while also paving the way for future human exploration,” Fox said.
However, NASA continues to face scrutiny over the cost and timelines of major programs, including both the MSR mission and the Artemis lunar program. Meanwhile, the international space race intensifies as China’s rapid advancements in lunar and Martian exploration pose a growing challenge. Despite this, NASA remains committed to its broader scientific objectives rather than focusing solely on competition.
