NASA Launches Initiative to Expedite Mars Sample Return, Eyes Cost-Efficient Solutions

Bill Nelson, NASA administrator and a past Wash100 awardee, has unveiled plans to accelerate the Mars Sample Return program, inviting innovative designs from the industry to retrieve crucial samples from the red planet, NASA said.

The samples, Nelson said, will give insights into solar system formation, support future human exploration and aid in the search for past life.

In its response to a 2023 Independent Review Board report, NASA has indicated an updated mission design with reduced complexity, enhanced resilience, an anticipated budget between $8 billion and $11 billion and a 2040 sample return.

Acknowledging the challenges, Nelson emphasized the need for cost-effective solutions, aiming to trim its current $11 billion budget and expedite the 2040 return timeline. To achieve earlier sample returns, NASA calls upon the industry to devise innovative solutions that will help reduce cost and mission complexity, aiming for sample retrieval by the 2030s.

Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to groundbreaking scientific endeavors and said the agency will continue to leverage decades of expertise and incorporate independent reviews to propel the Mars Sample Return mission forward.