Title: NASA's Approached Solutions to the Mars Sample Return Challenge
NASA's rover Perseverance has been tirelessly collecting Martian rock samples on the Red Planet, but Earth-bound efforts to retrieve these samples have encountered challenges. In an effort to circumvent these issues, NASA has decided to explore two distinct avenues for its Mars Sample Return program. These strategies seek to reduce costs and expedite the return of samples from Mars, deviating from the originally planned approach.
At a recent media briefing, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced this unusual approach to its Mars sample mission. He explained that by pursuing these two separate paths, NASA aims to save significant costs and time compared to the previous plan.
In April 2024, NASA appealed to the private sector to devise less complex methods of recovering Martian dust and rock samples and transferring them back to Earth. Upon receipt of 11 proposals from both NASA affiliates and industry stakeholders, a team was assembled to assess the optimal approach for returning the samples.
Moving forward, NASA will implement "two distinct methods of landing the payload platform on Mars." One method will leverage NASA's tried-and-true sky crane landing system, similar to those used in Curiosity and Perseverance missions, while the other option will employ a novel technique developed by a commercial partner.
The two proposed methods will utilize a miniature version of the Mars Ascent Vehicle, a lightweight rocket designed to propel the sample tubes into Mars' orbit. Both plans will also rely on the European Space Agency's (ESA) Earth Return Orbiter, responsible for capturing the orbiting container carrying the 30 sample tubes.
"NASA's rovers are enduring Mars' harsh conditions to gather groundbreaking science samples," said Nicky Fox, the associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "Our goal is to bring these samples back as quickly as possible for thorough analysis in state-of-the-art facilities."
NASA has encountered challenges with its Mars Sample Return mission, which has attracted scrutiny for escalating costs and scheduling delays. In September 2023, an independent review board (IRB) concluded that the mission was a "highly constrained and challenging campaign" with "unrealistic budget and schedule expectations from the outset." The initial budget of $7 billion, intended for returning the samples in the 2030s, eventually ballooned to $11 billion with an estimated return date of 2040. In response, NASA began exploring alternative architectures for its intricate mission.
Despite its challenges, Mars Sample Return represents an unprecedented opportunity to investigate samples from another planet up close. "Mars Sample Return will enable scientists to delve into Mars' geological history and the evolution of its climate, a barren planet harboring potential evidence of past life and offering insights into the early solar system before life emerged on Earth," Fox stated. "This research will also pave the way for the safe deployment of human explorers to Mars."
Enrichment Data:
- Option Leveraging Sky Crane Method:
- This strategy employs the time-tested sky crane landing system, as seen in NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers. It involves a smaller sample collection spacecraft, a smaller rocket for boosting the samples into Mars' orbit, and ESA's spacecraft for capturing and returning the samples to Earth. To simplify the mission, this option proposes cleaning the sample tubes on Mars' surface instead of in the returning spacecraft and switching to nuclear power during Martian dust storms. Estimated costs for this method range between $6.6 billion and $7.7 billion, with a potential return date spanning 2035 to 2039.
- Option Using Commercial Lander Capabilities:
- This approach relies on utilizing new commercial capacities for transporting the lander payload to Mars' surface. It incorporates a smaller Mars Ascent Vehicle and a radioisotope power system to provide power and heat during the Martian dust storm season. This plan features a redesigned sample loading system to streamline planetary protection compliance by eliminating dust accumulation on the sample container. Both options utilize ESA's Earth Return Orbiter for capturing and returning the samples to Earth. This method aims to decrease complexity and costs by potentially reducing the $11 billion mission cost by 30-47% and returning samples during the mid-to-late 2030s.
In light of these plans, the future of Mars sample retrieval seems promising, with NASA leveraging both existing and innovative technologies. The first strategy involves refining the sky crane landing system, aiming to lower costs and potentially bring samples back as early as 2035. On the other hand, the second strategy looks to collaborate with commercial partners to develop a more cost-effective landing method, potentially reducing the overall mission cost by half and accelerating the return of samples to Earth.
