Mars, NASA

NASA studies options to rein in cost of Mars Sample Return mission
NASA hopes a revised plan will get Mars samples back to Earth faster and cost less than the agency's original plan.
NASA exploring two new options for costly Mars sample return mission
Dr. Nick Fox, the director of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, told reporters, “We explore Mars as part of our ongoing efforts to safely send humans to explore farther and farther into the solar system while also kind of getting to the bottom of whether Mars once supported ancient life and shed life on the early solar system.”
NASA hedges its bets on costly Mars rock mission
Previously, the Mars Sample Return mission had been estimated to cost around 11 billion dollars and would not return a sample until the 2040's, noted Nelson, who said a re-evaluation of the mission had to be done because "this thing had gotten out of control."
NASA’s Answer to Mars Sample Return Problem: Develop Two Plans
The Perseverance rover has been collecting Martian rock samples since 2021, but NASA is still figuring out how to bring them back to Earth.
NASA punts Mars Sample Return decision to the next administration
In April, after an independent review found “near zero probability” of Mars Sample Return making its proposed 2028 launch date, NASA put out a request for alternative proposals to all of its centers and the private sector. JPL was forced to compete for what had been its own project.
NASA will announce update to Mars sample return plans on Jan. 7. Here's how to listen in
NASA's beleaguered Mars Sample Return program currently faces extreme costs of up to $11 billion and a timeline that could reach 2040.
NASA to Host Media Call Highlighting Mars Sample Return Update
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 7, to provide an update on the status of the agency's Mars Sample Return Program.
NASA collected Mars rocks to haul to Earth. It still hasn’t decided how.
The Mars Sample Return mission has been ranked as the highest priority by planetary scientists, who hope to find signs of ancient life on Mars.
NASA Eyes SpaceX, Blue Origin To Cut Mars Rock Retrieval Costs
NASA announced Tuesday it may turn to Elon Musk's SpaceX or Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin to help reduce the soaring costs of ...
NASA exploring two lower-cost options to go forward with Mars Sample Return mission
NASA announced Tuesday that it is exploring two options to move forward with its mission to return samples from Mars at a lower cost.
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Ancient volcanic ash on Mars could offer new clues in search for extraterrestrial life
Researchers believe dark rocks at the site of a future Mars rover landing mission may be left over from ancient volcanic ...
An Ice-Capped Crater Was Discovered on Mars. But Social Media Is Misrepresenting the Discovery
In late December 2024 and early January 2025, a photo circulated on multiple social media sites claiming to show an ...
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Can NASA's troubled Mars Sample Return mission be saved?
NASA wants to return Mars samples to Earth, but budget problems and technical woes have the mission caught between a rock and ...