NASA exploring 2 options to lower costs, speed up Mars Sample Return mission

After an independent review concluded NASA's plans to robotically collect and return rock and soil samples from Mars could cost up to $11 billion, NASA "pulled the plug" and is focusing on two options to reduce costs and speed up the return of the samples, agency Administrator Bill Nelson said Tuesday.

Option one would use the same "sky crane" landing system proven with NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers, a smaller sample collection spacecraft, a smaller rocket to boost the samples into orbit around the red planet and a European Space Agency spacecraft to capture them and fly them back to Earth.

The plan is similar to but less technologically challenging than the original architecture that was ruled out because of high costs and a sample return in the 2040 timeframe. Option one would cost between $6.6 billion and $7.7 billion and get the samples back as early as 2035 or as late as 2039, depending on congressional funding.