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NASA still has no plan for how to bring precious Mars rocks to Earth

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2025-01-20 11:30:03

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A picture taken by NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover of a rock that it sampled near its landing site in Jezero Crater. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA has again put off deciding how to accomplish one of its highest-profile missions in decades: bringing rocks back from Mars.

After years of ballooning cost estimates, the agency promised last April that it would develop a cheaper method for Mars sample return. But during a mission update on 7 January, it kicked the can down the road, saying it would continue to explore two options: one using well-tested NASA technology and the other relying on systems being developed by private aerospace companies.

The final decision isn’t expected until next year. The earliest the NASA spacecraft could launch would be 2031, with the samples coming to Earth no earlier than 2035. Costs for both options range from around US$6 billion to $7 billion — less than earlier estimates of up to $11 billion, but still a major challenge for the cash-strapped agency.