The decision regarding the plan to bring Martian rocks to Earth will be finalized during the upcoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. Outgoing NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and agency officials recently presented two potential strategies for the Mars Sample Return mission to be reviewed by the new administration next year. As Trump assumes office on Monday, his appointed leader for NASA, likely to be billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman, will play a significant role in determining the outcome.
While previous missions have successfully returned samples from the moon and asteroids, the Mars Sample Return mission aims to bring back rocks from another planet for the first time. Scientists hope to study these samples to gain insights into the geological history of Mars, including the possibility of past life forms existing on the planet.
Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, emphasized the importance of retrieving the samples quickly for further examination. The Mars rock samples collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover in the Jezero Crater are stored at a depot on Mars, awaiting future retrieval by NASA and the ESA.
The Jezero Crater is considered a prime location for searching for traces of ancient life on Mars, with its formation dating back 3.9 billion years. NASA and the ESA are determined to bring back the pristine Mars rocks collected by Perseverance, as they hold the potential to revolutionize our understanding of Mars and the universe.
In order to meet the target of returning Mars samples in the 2030s, NASA explored alternative options to the existing $11 billion plan in April 2024. Following the submission of 11 proposals in September, NASA initiated a review process to finalize recommendations for the Mars Sample Return mission.
NASA has revealed two mission plans aimed at reducing costs to an estimated range of $6 to $7 billion, which agency officials believe will increase the likelihood of ensuring that samples from Mars arrive well before astronauts set foot on the red planet. One of the options involves using the sky crane system, the same method utilized to lower NASA’s Perseverance and Curiosity rovers onto the Martian surface via a hovering rocket and cable. The alternative plan includes a landing system developed by private companies.
Both plans maintain the same number of spacecraft and launches, with the European Space Agency orbiter designated to bring the rocks back. NASA indicated that these proposed plans would streamline the overall mission. A final decision on which path to pursue is anticipated in the latter half of 2026 following detailed engineering evaluations of each plan.
NASA Administrator Nelson stated, “Pursuing two potential paths forward will ensure that NASA is able to bring these samples back from Mars with significant cost and schedule saving.”
Regarding the Perseverance rover’s activities on Mars, its search for Martian rocks continues beyond its time in the Jezero region. In December, after navigating the challenging Martian terrain, Perseverance successfully reached the summit of the steep Jezero Crater to embark on the next phase of its exploration journey.
Utilizing its right-front navigation camera, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover captured its initial view over the rim of Jezero Crater on December 10, 2024, marking the 1,354th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Positioned at “Lookout Hill,” the camera faced west, offering a glimpse of the surrounding landscape.
Perseverance commenced its gradual ascent in August 2024 towards the crater’s peak, believed to have been submerged in water at one point. The challenging climb, lasting over three months, presented the rover with obstacles to overcome while also providing moments of discovery and wonder as it paused to survey its environment.
Upon reaching the crater’s rim, the next task for the rover involves a quarter-mile drive to an area rich in light-toned, layered bedrock, based on orbital data. Over the next year, Perseverance aims to explore up to four sites within a four-mile radius along the northern section of Jezero’s southwestern rim to collect samples.
The initial phase of exploration at the crater’s base focused on identifying rocks thought to have filled the crater during its formation. Now, Perseverance will shift its attention to locating rocks believed to have originated deep within Mars, propelled upward during the impact that shaped the crater’s rim.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Contact him at elagatta@gannett.com.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Mars rock sample return: NASA proposes 2 plans for Trump to consider.