NASA to Revise Mars Sample Return Plan Following Budget and Schedule Concerns
PASADENA, Calif. — NASA has initiated efforts to overhaul its approach to returning samples from Mars after receiving feedback from an independent review board, which concluded that the current Mars Sample Return (MSR) architecture is unrealistic in terms of budget and schedule.
During a recent meeting of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG), Sandra Connelly, NASA deputy associate administrator for science, announced that the agency had assembled a team to address the recommendations made by the independent review board (IRB) in September.
The IRB found that there was a “near zero” probability of launching the next major components of MSR, a sample retrieval lander and Earth return orbiter, as planned in 2027 and 2028. Additionally, the estimated costs of MSR were higher than previous NASA projections, ranging from $8 billion to $11 billion.
Connelly emphasized the importance of incorporating the IRB’s findings and recommendations to ensure the success of the program within a balanced budget. Leading the MSR IRB Response Team (MIRT), she stated that the team will develop a revised Mars Sample Return architecture, with the goal of completing its work by the end of March.
Jeff Gramling, MSR director at NASA Headquarters, revealed that one group within the MIRT has been reviewing architectures for the past few weeks. The plan is to select two or three alternative architectures this fall for further study, potentially including independent cost estimates. NASA aims to conduct a confirmation review by late 2024, at which point formal cost and schedule commitments for the program would be made.
Despite the challenges posed by uncertain funding for fiscal years 2024 and 2025, NASA officials are committed to finding ways to reduce costs and increase resilience, while still utilizing previous work completed for MSR. Alternative approaches under consideration include pushing back the launch dates of the lander and orbiter into the 2030s and incorporating flight-proven technologies.
One of the key issues highlighted by the IRB was the lack of maturity in the design of the Orbiting Sample (OS) container. The design of the OS impacts the lander, orbiter, and other components of the architecture. To address this, NASA plans to collaborate closely with the European Space Agency (ESA), which is responsible for the Earth Return Orbiter and a robotic arm for transferring samples.
ESA’s director of human and robotic exploration, Daniel Neuenschwander, confirmed that ESA is continuing its contributions to MSR and is assessing all options. Neuenschwander emphasized the importance of joint decision-making between NASA and ESA member states as they move forward with the program.
Despite the challenges and setbacks, NASA officials, as well as experts attending the MEPAG meeting, emphasized the importance of Mars Sample Return. Connelly stated that MSR remains a priority for NASA, while Philip Christensen of Arizona State University, a co-chair of the steering committee for the planetary science decadal survey, highlighted the project’s endorsement as the highest scientific priority. He stressed the significance of taking the recommendations seriously, as they reflect the views of the broader planetary science community.