NASA eyes SpaceX, Blue Origin to cut Mars rock retrieval costs

Los Angeles: NASA is looking to team up with SpaceX and Blue Origin to help bring back samples from Mars without breaking the bank. The agency’s original plan was to send 30 sample tubes back to Earth by the 2030s, but costs have been climbing, and delays are piling up. So, they’re thinking about some new, more efficient ways to get it done.

China is also making strides with a simpler mission to grab samples from Mars, aiming to do it around 2028. This could put them ahead of NASA, which is a big deal. Bill Nelson, the outgoing NASA Administrator, mentioned that they’re weighing two options for landing a robotic platform on Mars, with a decision expected by mid-2026.

One option is to stick with NASA’s Sky Crane system, which has worked well in the past. The other involves a heavy lift lander from a commercial partner. Nelson pointed out that both SpaceX and Blue Origin have shown interest, but there could be other players too.

In both scenarios, the lander would carry a small rocket to launch the samples into orbit around Mars. Then, a European Space Agency craft would pick them up for the trip back home. NASA is also changing its power strategy, opting for a nuclear battery instead of solar panels, which can get messy during dust storms.

With the Sky Crane, costs could drop to between $6.6 billion and $7.7 billion, which is way better than the original $11 billion estimate. If they partner with commercial companies, they might get it down to between $5.8 billion and $7.1 billion, with samples expected back between 2035 and 2039, instead of 2040.

Of course, all this depends on funding and whether they choose a direct route back to Earth or a detour around the Moon. Meanwhile, China’s mission could beat NASA to the punch, which would be a big win for them. Nelson, however, stressed that NASA’s mission is way more complex and well-planned compared to the simpler approach of China.

Perseverance, the rover that landed on Mars in 2021, is on a mission to find signs of ancient life from when Mars was a warmer, wetter place. It’s an exciting time for space exploration!