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Mars sample return – artist's concept

A Mars sample-return (MSR) mission is a proposed mission to collect rock and dust samples on Mars and return them to Earth.[1] Such a mission would allow more extensive analysis than that allowed by onboard sensors.[2]

Risks of cross-contamination of the Earth biosphere from returned Martian samples have been raised, though the risk of this occurring is considered to be low.[3]

Some of the most recent concepts are a NASA-ESA proposal; a CNSA proposal, Tianwen-3; a Roscosmos proposal, Mars-Grunt; and a JAXA proposal, Martian Moons eXploration (MMX,) though this last mission is aimed at Phobos. Although NASA and ESA's plans to return the samples to Earth are still in the design stage as of 2024, samples have been gathered on Mars by the Perseverance rover.[4]

Scientific value

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Mars meteorites in the Natural History Museum in Vienna

Once returned to Earth, stored samples can be studied with the most sophisticated science instruments available. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA Headquarters in Washington, expects such studies to allow several new discoveries at many fields.[5] Samples may be reanalyzed in the future by instruments that do not yet exist.[6]

In 2006, the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group identified 55 important investigations related to Mars exploration. In 2008, they concluded that about half of the investigations "could be addressed to one degree or another by MSR", making MSR "the single mission that would make the most progress towards the entire list" of investigations. Moreover, it was reported that a significant fraction of the investigations could not be meaningfully advanced without returned samples.[7]

One source of Mars samples is what are thought to be Martian meteorites, which are rocks ejected from Mars that made their way to Earth. As of August 2023, 356 meteorites had been identified as Martian, out of over 79,000 known meteorites.[8] These meteorites are believed to be from Mars because their elemental and isotopic compositions are similar to rocks and atmospheric gases analyzed on Mars.[9]

History

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See also: NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return § History

Before 1990

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Artist concept of a Mars sample-return mission, 1979

Returning from Mars appeared in technical literature when Apollo was still in development and the first spacecraft to fly past Mars had not yet launched, with an expectation that people would be on board for Mars ascent.[10] The density of the Mars atmosphere remained unknown at that time, so the Lockheed engineering author reported the analysis of trajectory options over a range of aerodynamic drag conditions for a 15-ton launch vehicle to reach a rendezvous orbit.

At NASA, returning samples from Mars was studied jointly by the Langley Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the early 1970s during the time that the Viking Mars lander mission was in development, and a Langley author noted that the "Mars surface-to-orbit launch vehicle" would need high performance because its mass would "have a substantial impact on the mass and systems requirements" for earlier mission phases, delivery of that vehicle to Mars and launch preparations on Mars.[11]

For at least three decades, scientists have advocated the return of geological samples from Mars.[12] One early concept was the Sample Collection for Investigation of Mars (SCIM) proposal, which involved sending a spacecraft in a grazing pass through Mars's upper atmosphere to collect dust and air samples without landing or orbiting.[13]

The Soviet Union considered a Mars sample-return mission, Mars 5NM, in 1975 but it was cancelled due to the repeated failures of the N1 rocket that would have launched it. Another sample-return mission, Mars 5M (Mars-79), planned for 1979, was cancelled due to complexity and technical problems.[14]

In the mid-1980's, JPL mission planners noted that MSR had been "pushed by budgetary and other pressures into the '90s," and that the round trip would "impose large propulsion requirements."[15] They presented a notional mass budget for a concept that would launch a 9.5-metric-ton payload from Earth, including a Mars orbiter for Earth return, and a lander having a 400-kg rover and a "Mars return vehicle" that would mass over 2 metric tons. A 20-kg sample canister would arrive at Earth containing 5 kg of samples including scientific-quality cores drilled from every type of Mars terrain.

In the late 1980s, multiple NASA centers contributed to a proposed Mars Rover Sample Return mission (MRSR).[16][17] As described by JPL authors, one option for MRSR relied on a single launch of a 12-ton package including a Mars orbiter and Earth return vehicle, a 700-kg rover, and a 2.7-ton Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) which would use pump-fed liquid propulsion for a significant mass saving.[18] A 20-kg sample package on the MAV was to contain 5 kg of Mars soil. A Johnson Space Center author subsequently referred to a launch from Earth in 1998 with a MAV mass in the range 1400 to 1500 kg including a pump-fed first stage and a pressure-fed second stage.[19]

1990 onward

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Artist concept of a Mars sample-return mission, 1993

The United States' Mars Exploration Program, formed after Mars Observer's failure in September 1993, supported a Mars sample return.[20] One architecture was proposed by Glenn J. MacPherson in the early 2000s.[2]

In 1996, the possibility of life on Mars was raised when apparent microfossils were thought to have been found in the Martian meteorite ALH84001. This hypothesis was eventually rejected, but led to a renewed interest in a Mars sample return.[21]

In the mid-1990s, NASA funded JPL and Lockheed Martin to study affordable small-scale MSR mission architectures including a concept to return 500 grams of Mars samples using a 100-kg MAV that would meet a small Mars orbiter for rendezvous and return to Earth.[22] Robert Zubrin, a long-time advocate for human Mars missions, concluded in 1996 that the best approach to MSR would be launching directly to Earth using propellants made on Mars, because a rendezvous in Mars orbit would be too risky and he estimated that a direct-return MAV would mass 500 kg, too heavy to send to Mars affordably if fully fueled on Earth.[23] International peer reviewers concurred.[24] In 1997, a detailed analysis of conventional small-scale rocket technology (both solid and liquid propellant) found that known propulsion components would be too heavy to build a MAV as lightweight as several hundred kilograms and "The application of launch vehicle design principles to the development of new hardware on a tiny scale" was suggested.[25]

In 1998, JPL presented a design for a two-stage pressure-fed liquid bipropellant MAV that would be 600 kilograms or less at Mars liftoff, intended for a MSR mission in 2005.[26] The same JPL author collaborated on a notional single-stage 200-kg MAV intended to be made small by using pump-fed propulsion to permit lightweight low-pressure liquid propellant tanks and compact high-pressure thrust chambers.[27] This mass advantage of pump-fed operation was applied to a conceptual 100-kg MAV having a mass budget consistent with reaching Mars orbit using monopropellant, partly enabled by the simplicity of a single tank, also applicable to Mars landing typically done with monopropellant.[28] The high-pressure thrusters and pump had previously been demonstrated in the 1994 flight of an experimental 21-kg rocket.[29]

As of late 1999, the MSR mission was anticipated to be launched from Earth in 2003 and 2005.[30] Each was to deliver a rover and a Mars ascent vehicle, and a French supplied Mars orbiter with Earth return capability was to be included in 2005. The 140-kg MAV, "in the process of being contracted to industry" at that time, was to include telemetry on its first stage and thrusters that would spin the vehicle to 300 RPM before separation of the simplified lightweight upper stage. Atop each MAV, a 3.6-kg, 16-cm diameter spherical payload would contain 500 grams of samples and have solar cells to power a long-life beacon to facilitate rendezvous with the Earth return orbiter. The orbiter would capture the sample containers delivered by both MAVs and place them in separate Earth entry vehicles. This mission concept, considered by NASA's Mars Exploration Program to return samples by 2008,[31] was cancelled following a program review.[32]

In mid-2006, the International Mars Architecture for the Return of Samples (iMARS) Working Group was chartered by the International Mars Exploration Working Group (IMEWG) to outline the scientific and engineering requirements of an internationally sponsored and executed Mars sample-return mission in the 2018–2023 time frame.[7]

In October 2009, NASA and ESA established the Mars Exploration Joint Initiative to proceed with the ExoMars program, whose ultimate aim is "the return of samples from Mars in the 2020s".[33][34] ExoMars's first mission was planned to launch in 2018[6][35] with unspecified missions to return samples in the 2020–2022 time frame.[36] The cancellation of the caching rover MAX-C in 2011, and later NASA withdrawal from ExoMars, due to budget limitations, ended the mission.[37] The pull-out was described as "traumatic" for the science community.[37]

In early 2011, the US National Research Council's Planetary Science Decadal Survey, which laid out mission planning priorities for the period 2013–2022, declared an MSR campaign its highest priority Flagship Mission for that period.[38] In particular, it endorsed the proposed Mars Astrobiology Explorer-Cacher (MAX-C) mission in a "descoped" (less ambitious) form. This mission plan was officially cancelled in April 2011.

A key mission requirement for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission was that it help prepare for MSR.[39][40][41] The rover landed on 18 February 2021 in Jezero Crater to collect samples and store them in 43 cylindrical tubes for later retrieval.

Image of one of the sample tubes. Its appearance has been noted to have similarities with a Lightsaber from the Star Wars movies.[42]

Mars 2020 mission

[edit]
Main articles: NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return Mission, Mars 2020, Perseverance (rover), and Timeline of Mars 2020
Perseverance rover

The Mars 2020 mission landed the Perseverance rover in the Jezero crater in February 2021. It has collected multiple samples and will continue to do so, packing them into cylinders for later return in the MSR Campaign. Jezero appears to be an ancient lakebed, suitable for ground sampling.[43][44][45] It is also assigned the task to return the samples directly to the Sample Return lander, considering its potential mission longevity.

Mars Sample Depot at 3 forks
In support of the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return, rock, regolith (Martian soil), and atmosphere samples are being cached by Perseverance. As of July 2025, 33 out of 43 sample tubes have been filled,[46] including 8 igneous rock samples, 13 sedimentary rock sample tubes, 3 Igneous/Impactite rock sample tubes, a Serpentinite rock sample tube, a Silica-cemented carbonate rock sample tube,[47] two regolith sample tubes, an atmosphere sample tube,[48] and three witness tubes.[49] Before launch, 5 of the 43 tubes were designated "witness tubes" and filled with materials that would capture particulates in the ambient environment of Mars. Out of 43 tubes, 3 witness sample tubes will not be returned to Earth and will remain on rover as the sample canister will only have 30 tube slots. Further, 10 of the 43 tubes are left as backups at the Three Forks Sample Depot.[50]

From 21 December 2022, Perseverance started a campaign to deposit 10 of its collected samples to the backup depot (Three Forks), to ensure that if Perseverance runs into problems, the MSR campaign could still succeed.

Proposals

[edit]

NASA–ESA

[edit]
Main article: NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return Mission
Mars Sample Return Program[51]
(artwork; 27 July 2022)
Mars Sample Return Campaign for bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth

The NASA-ESA plan[52] is to return samples using three missions: a sample collection mission (Perseverance) launched in 2020 and currently operational, a sample retrieval mission (Sample Retrieval Lander + Mars ascent vehicle + Sample Transfer arm + 2 Ingenuity class helicopters), and a return mission (Earth Return Orbiter).[53][54][55]

Although NASA and ESA's proposal is still in the design stage, the first leg of gathering samples is currently being executed by the Perseverance rover on Mars and components of the sample retrieval lander (second leg) are in testing phase on earth.[4][56][57] The later phases were facing significant cost overruns as of August 2023.[58][59] In November 2023, NASA was reported to have cut back the program due to a possible shortage of funds.[60] As of January 2024, the plan was facing ongoing scrutiny due to budget and scheduling considerations, and a new overhaul plan was being pursued.[61] In April 2024, NASA reported that the originally projected cost of $7 billion and expected sample return of 2033 was updated to an unacceptable $11 billion and return of 2040 instead, prompting the agency to search for a better solution.[62]

China

[edit]

China has announced plans for a Mars sample-return mission to be called Tianwen-3.[63] The mission would launch in late-2028, with a lander and ascent vehicle on a Long March 5 and an orbiter and return module launched separately on a Long March 3B. Samples would be returned to Earth in July 2031.[64]

A previous plan would have used a large spacecraft that could carry out all mission phases, including sample collection, ascent, orbital rendezvous, and return flight. This would have required the super-heavy-lift Long March 9 launch vehicle.[65][66][67] Another plan involved using Tianwen-1 to cache the samples for retrieval.[68]

France

[edit]

France has worked towards a sample return for many years. This included concepts of an extraterrestrial sample curation facility for returned samples, and numerous proposals. They worked on the development of a Mars sample-return orbiter, which would capture and return the samples as part of a joint mission with other countries.[69]

Japan

[edit]

On 9 June 2015, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) unveiled a plan named Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) to retrieve samples from Phobos or Deimos.[70][71] Phobos's orbit is closer to Mars and its surface may have captured particles blasted from Mars.[72] The launch from Earth is planned for 2026, with a return to Earth in 2031.[73][74] Japan has also shown interest in participating in an international Mars sample-return mission.

Russia

[edit]
Main article: Mars-Grunt

A Russian Mars sample-return mission concept is Mars-Grunt.[75][76][77][78][79] It adopted Fobos-Grunt design heritage.[76] 2011 plans envisioned a two-stage architecture with an orbiter and a lander (but no roving capability),[80] with samples gathered from around the lander by a robotic arm.[75][81]

Back contamination

[edit]
Further information: Extraterrestrial sample curation and Planetary protection
OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule in Utah from asteroid 101955 Bennu

Whether life forms exist on Mars is unresolved. Thus, MSR could potentially transfer viable organisms to Earth, resulting in back contamination — the introduction of extraterrestrial organisms into Earth's biosphere. The scientific consensus is that the potential for large-scale effects, either through pathogenesis or ecological disruption, is small.[7][82][83][84][85] Returned samples would be treated as potentially biohazardous until scientists decide the samples are safe. The goal is that the probability of release of a Mars particle is less than one in a million.[82]

The proposed NASA Mars sample-return mission will not be approved by NASA until the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process has been completed.[86] Furthermore, under the terms of Article VII of the Outer Space Treaty and other legal frameworks, were a release of organisms to occur, the releasing nation(s) would be liable for any resultant damages.[87]

The sample-return mission would be tasked with preventing contact between the Martian environment and the exterior of the sample containers.[82][86]

In order to eliminate the risk of parachute failure, the current plan is to use the thermal protection system to cushion the capsule upon impact (at terminal velocity). The sample container would be designed to withstand the force of impact.[86] To receive the returned samples, NASA proposed a custom Biosafety Level 4 containment facility, the Mars Sample-Return Receiving facility (MSRRF).[88]

Other scientists and engineers, notably Robert Zubrin of the Mars Society, argued in the Journal of Cosmology that contamination risk is functionally zero leaving little need to worry. They cite, among other things, lack of any known incident although trillions of kilograms of material have been exchanged between Mars and Earth via meteorite impacts.[89]

The International Committee Against Mars Sample Return (ICAMSR) is an advocacy group led by Barry DiGregorio, that campaigns against a Mars sample-return mission. While ICAMSR acknowledges a low probability for biohazards, it considers the proposed containment measures to be unsafe. ICAMSR advocates more in situ studies on Mars, and preliminary biohazard testing at the International Space Station before the samples are brought to Earth.[90][91] DiGregorio also supports a view that several pathogens – such as common viruses – originate in space and probably caused some mass extinctions and pandemics.[92][93] These claims connecting terrestrial disease and extraterrestrial pathogens have been rejected by the scientific community.[92]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Mars sample-return mission

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The Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission is a flagship collaborative effort between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) to collect scientifically selected rock and soil samples from the Martian surface using NASA's Perseverance rover and return them to Earth for the first time, enabling unprecedented laboratory analysis of Mars' geological history, climate evolution, and potential for past life. Initiated as a multi-mission campaign building on the Perseverance rover's sample collection efforts that began on February 18, 2021, the MSR involves three primary phases: sample acquisition and caching on Mars, retrieval and launch via a dedicated lander and ascent vehicle, and return using an orbiter. Perseverance has gathered 33 rock, , and air samples as of November 2025, including a specially curated "depot" of 10 tubes deposited on the Martian surface by January 31, 2023, to facilitate potential retrieval. In 2025, analysis of the "Sapphire Canyon" sample revealed potential biosignatures suggestive of ancient microbial life, further emphasizing the mission's scientific priority. NASA's contributions include the Sample Retriever Lander and Mars Ascent Vehicle, powered by a radioisotope system, while ESA provides the Return Orbiter and a Sample Transfer Arm to handle the sealed sample container holding up to 30 tubes. As of 2025, the mission faces ongoing refinements to address cost and schedule challenges, with NASA evaluating two landing architectures for the retrieval phase: a traditional sky crane system similar to those used for Curiosity and Perseverance, and an innovative approach leveraging emerging commercial landing technologies to reduce complexity and expenses. A final architecture decision is slated for the second half of 2026, following independent reviews aimed at optimizing the program's feasibility while preserving its scientific objectives. The mission's success is expected to revolutionize our understanding of Mars' habitability, planetary processes, and implications for future human exploration, with samples analyzed in specialized facilities to ensure biosafety and maximize research impact.

Scientific Importance

Value of Martian Samples

Returning Martian samples to Earth offers unparalleled scientific advantages over in-situ analyses conducted by rovers, as terrestrial laboratories can apply sophisticated instruments and techniques that exceed the limitations of miniaturized spacecraft hardware. For instance, high-resolution , precise isotopic analysis, and advanced enable detailed examinations of sample composition, structure, and history that are infeasible remotely due to power, size, and sensitivity constraints. These methods allow for repeated testing on larger sample volumes without the risk of cross-contamination from rover mechanisms, facilitating iterative experiments with evolving technologies over decades. Additionally, samples can be handled in sterile, controlled environments to preserve delicate features like potential organic compounds, which might degrade under Mars' harsh conditions or during remote handling. The samples collected by NASA's Perseverance rover from Jezero Crater encompass a diverse array of materials, including regolith (loose surface soil), igneous rocks such as lavas, sedimentary deposits from ancient lakebeds and river deltas, and captured atmospheric gases. These types are particularly valuable for investigating Mars' geological evolution, as isotopic analyses of rocks can reveal the planet's formation processes, crustal differentiation, and volcanic history spanning billions of years. Sedimentary samples from Jezero, a site of an ancient lake and river delta, target evidence of past habitability by preserving potential biosignatures, such as organic matter or microbial fossils, in water-altered minerals like carbonates and silica. Atmospheric samples, meanwhile, provide noble gas data to trace the origins and loss of Mars' early thick atmosphere, shedding light on climate transitions from a potentially warmer, wetter world to the current arid desert. Overall, these returned materials will enable comprehensive studies of Mars' water history, including the timing and extent of liquid water flows that could have supported life, through stable isotope ratios that indicate past environmental conditions. By reconstructing billions of years of planetary change—from core dynamics via paleomagnetic measurements to surface habitability—samples from Jezero Crater will address fundamental questions about Mars' past and inform broader understandings of rocky planet evolution across the solar system.

Key Research Objectives

The primary scientific objectives of a Mars sample-return mission center on advancing , , and climate science through high-fidelity laboratory analysis of returned materials, which far exceeds the capabilities of in-situ instruments on rovers. These goals align with and ESA priorities to address fundamental questions about Mars' potential for life, its evolutionary history, and implications for the broader solar system. Specifically, the mission aims to search for definitive evidence of past or present microbial life, reconstruct geological processes, and trace atmospheric and climatic changes over billions of years. In astrobiology, a core objective is to evaluate the habitability of ancient Martian environments and identify potential biosignatures, such as organic molecules or microfossils, that could confirm or refute the presence of life. Returned samples would enable isotopic and molecular analyses to determine if organic compounds detected by rovers like Curiosity—such as the largest organics found in Gale Crater rocks—and Perseverance, including potential biosignatures in the "Sapphire Canyon" sample from Jezero Crater, are biogenic or abiotic in origin. This could resolve debates on habitability windows, particularly during the Noachian era when liquid water was more prevalent, by examining preserved microfossils or chemical remnants in sedimentary rocks. Additionally, analysis of volatile elements in samples would help pinpoint sources of atmospheric methane—detected in fluctuating plumes by Curiosity—whether biological, geological, or serpentinization-related, providing clues to subsurface habitability. Geological and climatic objectives focus on reconstructing Mars' formation, alteration history, and volatile evolution to understand planetary processes. Samples would allow precise of igneous and sedimentary rocks to timeline volcanic activity, crustal differentiation, and the loss of Mars' global around 4 billion years ago, which contributed to atmospheric stripping. By quantifying post-emplacement alterations like aqueous and impact effects in and rocks, scientists could infer past climate regimes, including evidence for subsurface water or reservoirs that influenced . These analyses would also trace the evolution of volatiles, such as trapped atmospheric gases, to model how Mars transitioned from a potentially warmer, wetter world to its current arid state.

Historical Background

Early Concepts Before 1990

The concept of a Mars sample-return mission originated in the 1960s and 1970s, driven by successes in lunar sample returns and early robotic explorations of Mars. In the Soviet Union, engineers at NPO Lavochkin, under director Georgi Babakin, proposed initial plans in 1970 for a heavy-lift mission designated 5NM, which would have used the N1 rocket to launch a 98-ton spacecraft including a 20-ton Mars transfer vehicle and a lander employing an umbrella-like atmospheric braking device expanding to 12 meters in diameter. These ideas built on the Luna program's automated soil returns from the Moon in 1970–1976, adapting similar drilling and ascent technologies for Mars, though the N1's repeated launch failures led to postponement. In the United States, NASA's Viking missions (1975–1976) sparked extensions for sample return; a 1974 proposal by Martin Marietta outlined modifying the Viking lander into a "Viking 4" configuration to collect surface samples and launch them via an ascent vehicle for Earth return in the early 1980s. Throughout the 1970s, conducted feasibility studies emphasizing ascent vehicle designs capable of escaping Mars' gravity (about 3.7 m/s²) with limited propulsion, often envisioning solid- or liquid-fueled rockets integrated with Viking-derived hardware. A key 1979 report, "Consideration of Sample Return and the Exploration Strategy for Mars," recommended Mars Surface Sample Return (MSSR) as a priority , detailing concepts for collecting 400 grams of rocks, 50–100 grams of , and atmospheric samples using mobile rovers with ranges up to tens of kilometers, while highlighting the need for orbital rendezvous to transfer samples to a return craft. By 1984, the (JPL) and (JSC) advanced these into the Mars Rover Sample Return (MRSR) concept paper, proposing a dual-launch architecture: a 600-kg to gather approximately 5 kg of diverse samples (soils, rocks, and volatiles preserved below 240 K) over 100 km of traverse, paired with an international sample retrieval lander for ascent and return, targeting launches in 1996–1998. Early concepts also recognized the value of returned samples in verifying the origins of suspected Martian meteorites, particularly the SNC (Shergotty-Nakhla-Chassigny) group, whose igneous compositions and young crystallization ages (around 1.3 billion years) suggested an extraterrestrial source beyond or the . The discovery of ALH 84001, an orthopyroxenite from , intensified interest, as its ancient age (approximately 4.1 billion years) and potential links to Martian prompted debates in the late about whether such fragments represented ejected crustal material, underscoring the need for direct samples to resolve isotopic and mineralogical ambiguities. These discussions, building on 1983 analyses proposing a Martian for SNC meteorites based on trapped and products, positioned sample return as essential for confirming meteorite ejection mechanisms and planetary . Pre-1990 efforts remained theoretical, with no missions launched due to formidable challenges, including limitations for ascent from Mars' thin atmosphere (requiring delta-v of about 4.5–5 km/s) and the high costs of developing reliable rocketry under budget constraints. Concepts relied on simulations and subscale tests, such as Soviet prototypes for the scaled-down 5M mission (preliminary design completed in ), which envisioned three Proton-launched vehicles rendezvousing in and Mars orbits for sample capture, but was abandoned as overly complex and expensive by 1978. Orbital sample capture ideas, like automated docking or -orbit interception, were explored to mitigate risks but faced precision issues with guidance technology, ultimately stalling progress until post-Cold War collaborations.

Developments from 1990 to 2010

In 1993, and the (ESA) collaborated on the "Mars Together" study, a joint initiative that explored cooperative Mars exploration strategies, including early concepts for a to retrieve geological materials for detailed Earth-based analysis. This study emphasized the scientific benefits of international partnership in addressing Mars' evolutionary history and potential for past life, laying groundwork for subsequent proposals. The late 1990s brought setbacks with the 1999 failures of NASA's and Mars Polar Lander, which led to the cancellation of the Mars Surveyor program and a broader reevaluation of high-cost missions. These losses, attributed to navigation errors and entry system issues, resulted in budget constraints that halted the planned 2001 Mars Sample Return Orbiter/Lander proposal, which had envisioned an integrated system for sample collection via a , ascent vehicle launch, and orbital rendezvous for return. Throughout the 2000s, robotic precursor missions bolstered the case for sample return by demonstrating the limitations of in-situ instrumentation. The Mars Exploration Rovers (MER), Spirit and Opportunity, launched in 2003, identified evidence of ancient liquid water through mineralogical and sedimentary analyses, underscoring the need for laboratory examination of returned samples to confirm biosignatures and isotopic compositions. International proposals advanced complementary concepts during this period. France's NetLander initiative, developed in the late under leadership, proposed deploying a network of four small geophysical stations in 2005 to probe Mars' subsurface structure and identify sample sites, serving as a precursor to full sample-return operations in collaboration with . Meanwhile, initiated the simulation in 2007, a ground-based experiment isolating six members for 520 days to mimic a round-trip mission, providing data on human factors that could inform hybrid robotic-crewed architectures for future returns. By 2009, the Obama administration elevated Mars sample return as a priority in its national space policy, targeting implementation in the through enhanced NASA-ESA cooperation, though fiscal pressures led to budget reductions that deferred detailed planning. This era also marked a conceptual shift toward multi-mission architectures, where sample acquisition, Martian ascent, and Earth-return phases would span multiple launches to distribute technical risks and leverage incremental technological demonstrations, as detailed in NASA's industry trade studies. Planetary protection protocols evolved significantly, with COSPAR's 2000 guidelines establishing foundational requirements for "restricted Earth return" from Mars, mandating bio-containment of samples, facilities, and sterilization protocols to mitigate back-contamination risks from potential Martian microbes. These measures, informed by workshops on forward and backward contamination, ensured that sample-return designs incorporated redundant sealing and monitoring systems from the outset.

Mars 2020 Perseverance Mission

The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission, a cornerstone of NASA's efforts to enable a future Mars sample return, launched aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on July 30, 2020. The rover successfully touched down in Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021, after a journey of approximately seven months, selecting this site for its ancient delta features that suggest past habitability. A key objective is to collect and cache 20 to 30 sealed sample tubes containing rock cores, regolith, and atmospheric gases from diverse geological contexts within the crater, providing pristine materials for potential Earth-based analysis. As of 2025, Perseverance has collected 30 science samples using 30 of its 38 sample tubes, comprising 9 cores, 16 cores, 2 samples, 1 atmospheric sample, 1 silica-cemented sample, and 1 sample, in addition to sealing 3 of its 5 witness blanks to monitor . Among these, several "special" samples stand out, such as the "Sapphire Canyon" sample from the Cheyava Falls . Encountered in July 2024, this rock features "leopard spots" and was analyzed for organic compounds and structures suggestive of ancient microbial activity; in 2025, announced that it contains organic molecules and minerals like and , potentially indicating biosignatures that require laboratory confirmation on . The rover employs a sample caching depot strategy, depositing duplicate sets of tubes at designated surface locations—such as the completed depot in Three Forks region—to serve as accessible backups for retrieval by future missions, ensuring redundancy without relying solely on the rover's onboard storage. Complementing sample collection, the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment () aboard Perseverance demonstrated the production of oxygen from Martian atmospheric through solid oxide , generating up to 12 grams per hour at 98% purity during 16 runs completed by 2023. This technology proof-of-concept is relevant to human and robotic ascent from Mars, as it could scale to produce propellant oxidizer for launch vehicles. Recent analyses of samples like Cheyava Falls have intensified interest in prompt return, highlighting potential evidence of past that demands laboratory confirmation, though no dedicated return vehicle has been deployed to Mars as of November 2025.

Current and Proposed Missions

NASA-ESA Collaboration

The NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return (MSR) program represents a collaborative effort between the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) to retrieve and return scientifically selected samples from Mars to Earth for detailed analysis. Announced through a joint Statement of Intent in April 2018, the program builds on samples already collected by NASA's Perseverance rover, which serves as the initial payload for the return mission. As of July 2025, Perseverance has filled 33 out of 43 sample tubes, including rock, regolith, and atmospheric samples. The program's architecture involves a multi-launch campaign with distinct roles divided between the agencies to leverage their respective expertise. NASA is responsible for the Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL), targeted for launch in 2031, which will deploy to Jezero Crater to retrieve the cached samples using a fetch rover and robotic arm, then load them into the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) for launch from the Martian surface. ESA provides the Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), targeted for launch in 2030, which will rendezvous with the ascending sample container in Mars orbit, capture it, and transport it back to Earth via a descent capsule, with samples expected to arrive in the 2035-2039 timeframe. This international division ensures efficient integration of propulsion, rendezvous, and return technologies. Development of the MSR program faced significant challenges, leading to a pause in November 2023 due to escalating complexity in the architecture, including tight timelines and technical risks associated with Mars ascent and orbital rendezvous. An independent review board in September 2023 highlighted these issues, projecting costs exceeding $11 billion and potential delays pushing sample return beyond 2040, far beyond the original 2033 target. In response, initiated redesign efforts in 2024, soliciting proposals to simplify the mission and cap costs, culminating in a January 2025 announcement to pursue two parallel landing architectures for the SRL—one using the proven sky crane system and another incorporating emerging commercial landing technologies—to accelerate timelines and reduce expenses. Further progress in 2025 included industry proposals, such as Lockheed Martin's June offer to execute the MSR under a firm-fixed-price for less than $3 billion by streamlining the lander design and leveraging commercial efficiencies, while maintaining the core NASA-ESA framework. Despite these efforts, the program remains in a redesign phase, with a final decision expected by mid-2026 and sample return now slipping into the late , reflecting ongoing adjustments to balance scientific goals with fiscal and technical constraints.

Chinese Tianwen-3 Mission

The Tianwen-3 mission, China's first Mars sample-return endeavor, is scheduled for launch around 2028 with samples anticipated to return to by 2031. Developed by the (CNSA), the mission employs a multi-element architecture comprising an orbiter, lander, , and ascender vehicle, launched via two separate flights to enable coordinated operations. The will travel approximately seven to eight months to reach Mars, where the lander and will collect samples before the ascender launches them into orbit for rendezvous and return. Led by CNSA, Tianwen-3 aims to gather at least 500 grams of Martian material, including rocks, soil, and atmospheric samples from multiple sites to maximize scientific diversity. The mission builds directly on the successes of the orbiter-lander-rover system, incorporating advanced drilling capabilities to reach depths of up to 2 meters for subsurface collection, a feature unique among planned Mars sample-return efforts. This integrated approach allows for efficient sample acquisition across varied terrains, targeting regions rich in geological history. Tianwen-3 adopts an all-in-one mission architecture, contrasting with multi-phase international efforts by combining sample collection, ascent, and return within a single operational framework to streamline timelines and reduce complexity. Candidate landing sites include areas in the southern highlands, such as McLaughlin Crater, selected for their potential to yield ancient materials from Mars' early history, alongside northern plains like for broader coverage. This design emphasizes autonomy and precision in sample handling to ensure contamination-free return. In 2025, CNSA confirmed the mission's schedule through public announcements, including a July briefing by chief scientist Hou Zengqian and an earlier call for international , underscoring China's commitment to the project. These developments position Tianwen-3 to potentially achieve the first Mars sample return ahead of other global initiatives, heightening international competition in planetary exploration.

Other International Proposals

Japan's (MMX) mission represents a significant international effort toward sample return from the Martian system, led by the Aerospace Exploration Agency () with a planned launch in 2026. The mission aims to orbit Mars, land on its moon Phobos to collect approximately 10 grams of surface , and return the samples to by 2031, providing insights into the origins of Phobos and Deimos as well as the broader of the Martian environment. These samples may include material ejected from Mars' surface, offering indirect data on planetary composition that could inform future direct Mars sample-return strategies. MMX incorporates technology demonstrations relevant to Mars exploration, such as ascent vehicles and sample handling, while fostering international partnerships; contributes to rover development and sample analysis planning, and the French space agency along with Germany's DLR provide instruments for surface characterization. These collaborations emphasize shared advancements in deep-space sample return without relying on U.S.-led architectures. Budget constraints have not halted progress, with the mission positioned as a precursor to more ambitious Mars surface efforts. Russia's post-2010 proposals for Mars sample return, including extensions of the program with Europe, have seen limited advancement due to funding shortages and geopolitical disruptions following the Ukraine invasion. Earlier concepts, such as a two-part orbiter-lander system proposed around 2008, envisioned collecting and returning Martian soil but remain unrealized. The collaboration, originally involving for launch and landing platform development, focused on drilling technology capable of reaching 2 meters subsurface to access protected samples— a key enabler for future return missions— but ESA terminated the in , shifting to independent European solutions. As of 2025, Russian efforts toward Phobos or Mars sample return are stalled, with no firm timelines amid ongoing sanctions and resource reallocations. French concepts through the Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) in the 2020s have primarily emphasized technology studies and contributions to multinational frameworks rather than standalone missions, building on historical ideas from the 1990s. CNES has supported developments in sample acquisition tools and ascent propulsion as part of broader European initiatives, highlighting potential for regional collaborations in drilling and containment technologies. Progress remains tied to international funding, with no independent launch proposals advancing beyond conceptual phases by late 2025.

Technical Challenges

Sample Acquisition and Ascent from Mars

The acquisition of Martian samples for return to Earth relies on advanced robotic systems designed to collect, seal, and store geological materials with minimal contamination. NASA's Perseverance rover, as part of the Mars 2020 mission, employs a Sampling and Caching System mounted on its 7-foot (2-meter) robotic arm, which uses a rotary-percussive drill with a hollow coring bit to extract intact rock cores up to 2.4 inches (6 cm) in diameter and 2.4 inches (6 cm) long from the Martian surface. These cores, along with regolith samples, are sealed in sterile titanium tubes to preserve scientific integrity, with the system capable of handling up to 43 such tubes for potential retrieval. This process enables the collection of diverse samples from scientifically targeted sites, such as ancient river deltas in Jezero Crater. As of November 2025, Perseverance has filled 33 sample tubes, with plans to collect up to 30 for return, stored aboard the rover itself. Under current proposed architectures evaluated by NASA as of 2025, samples will be retrieved directly from the Perseverance rover by a Sample Fetch Rover deployed from the Sample Retrieval Lander, rather than from surface depots as in prior plans. Two landing options are under review for the Sample Retrieval Lander: a traditional sky crane system similar to those used for Curiosity and Perseverance, requiring precision landing within kilometers of the rover in Jezero Crater, and a commercial heavy-lift approach using emerging technologies (e.g., from SpaceX) to potentially reduce mass and complexity while achieving similar accuracy. These build on heritage from missions like Phoenix and InSight, enhanced with terrain-relative navigation for accuracy in challenging terrains. A final decision is expected in mid-2026. The Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), a critical component of the NASA-led Sample Retrieval Lander, is responsible for launching the sealed sample container into Mars orbit, marking the first powered ascent from another planet. The MAV employs a two-stage solid propulsion system, with providing the motors, designed to achieve a delta-v of approximately 4.1 km/s to reach a low Mars orbit of about 300-500 km altitude. Recent design simplifications, including a compact radioisotope power system, aim to lower overall mission costs and improve reliability. All operations on Mars, from sample pickup to MAV launch, demand high levels of autonomy to mitigate the 4-24 minute communication delay with Earth, relying on onboard AI for real-time decision-making, hazard avoidance, and trajectory adjustments. This includes the Sample Fetch Rover navigating to the Perseverance rover using pre-mapped data and sensor fusion, ensuring mission success without constant human intervention.

Earth Return Trajectory and Landing

The Earth return phase of a Mars sample-return mission begins after the orbiting sample container, launched from the Martian surface by the Mars Ascent Vehicle, is captured in Mars orbit by the Earth Return Orbiter (ERO). The ERO, led by the with 's Capture, Containment, and Return System (CCRS) onboard, performs a rendezvous maneuver to locate and intercept the approximately basketball-sized container holding the sealed samples. The CCRS uses a robotic capture to securely grasp the container, transferring it into a vessel without direct human intervention, ensuring the samples remain isolated throughout the process. Following capture, the ERO executes a for the return to , an energy-efficient trajectory that leverages the gravitational alignment of Mars and , occurring every 26 months. The MAV requires approximately 4.1 km/s delta-v from the surface to place the sample in low Mars orbit, while the ERO's trans-Earth injection burn provides about 2.9 km/s from orbit using chemical propulsion. The journey duration is 6-9 months, depending on timing, allowing the to coast on a minimum-energy elliptical path while midcourse corrections ensure precise alignment for arrival. Upon nearing , the ERO releases the Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV), a compact capsule containing the bio-sealed samples, which follows a direct trajectory. The EEV features a phenolic-impregnated carbon ablator to withstand peak temperatures exceeding 2,000°C during re-entry at velocities around 12 km/s, protecting the internal containment from thermal and structural stresses. For deceleration, the baseline design deploys a precision system after separation, targeting a in a designated recovery zone, such as an oceanic , though alternatives like sky crane or systems have been studied for enhanced accuracy and reduced impact forces. The multi-layered within the EEV, including a witness tube for monitoring integrity and secondary seals, maintains sample isolation against potential leaks or breaches during the high-g re-entry environment (up to 20g deceleration). Recent 2025 proposals aim to reduce mission costs through simplified architectures, such as direct retrieval from the Perseverance rover and evaluation of commercial landing technologies, targeting budgets under $7 billion for the return phase while preserving scientific objectives. These optimizations prioritize proven technologies, such as existing heat shield materials and rendezvous systems, to enhance fuel efficiency without compromising the trajectory's reliability.

Planetary Protection Measures

Planetary protection measures for Mars sample-return missions primarily address the risk of back contamination, ensuring that potential Martian biological material does not harm Earth's , in accordance with COSPAR's Category V, Restricted Earth Return guidelines. These guidelines, established by the (COSPAR), classify Mars sample-return missions as the highest risk level due to the possibility of viable extraterrestrial microbes, requiring stringent containment, quarantine, and testing protocols to achieve a probability of less than 10^-6 for release of unsterilized material. The 1967 underpins these measures, obligating nations to avoid harmful contamination of celestial bodies and Earth through responsible space activities, including sample returns. Lessons from the Viking missions of the 1970s, which implemented pioneering dry-heat microbial reduction (DHMR) sterilization to limit forward contamination to 300,000 spores per spacecraft, informed modern protocols by demonstrating the feasibility of bioburden control while highlighting challenges in verifying complete sterility. To prevent inadvertent release, spacecraft components in contact with Martian samples undergo rigorous sterilization, such as DHMR or vapor hydrogen peroxide, targeting a bioburden of fewer than one viable Earth organism per sample tube, with continuous monitoring for airborne particulates and microbial viability using techniques like ATP bioluminescence assays. Upon Earth arrival, samples are transferred to a proposed Mars Sample Receiving Facility (SRF), a Biosafety Level 4-equivalent quarantine site designed for initial biohazard assessment, as outlined in NASA's 2025 SRF Assessment Study (MSAS). This study evaluates facility options, emphasizing double-walled isolators (DWI) for secure handling, where samples remain in redundant, sealed containment systems—such as the Orbiting Sample container within an Earth Entry Vehicle—to isolate them from the environment during transport and initial processing. Biohazard testing follows a structured protocol, including non-destructive imaging, molecular assays for genetic material, and viability tests like culturing in simulated Martian conditions, drawing from the 2002 Draft Test Protocol updated in subsequent reviews to detect potential pathogens without compromising sample integrity. Ongoing monitoring for viable microbes involves real-time environmental controls in the SRF, such as filtration and manipulations, to track any breach risks, with international collaboration ensuring compliance through COSPAR audits. In the , debates have intensified over SRF costs, estimated at over $1 billion, raising concerns about funding trade-offs with other priorities while underscoring the ethical imperative of robust protection against unknown biological hazards.

Future Implications

Revised Timelines and Costs

The NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, originally planned for sample return by 2031, faced significant delays following a 2023 independent review that projected costs exceeding $11 billion and a return date as late as 2040 due to technical complexities and budgetary constraints. In response, NASA initiated a redesign process in 2024, culminating in January 2025 announcements of two alternative architectures aimed at reducing costs and accelerating timelines. Both options aim for return between 2035 and 2039, with the sky crane option estimated at $6.6 billion to $7.7 billion and the commercial lander option at $5.8 billion to $7.1 billion; final decisions on the architecture are deferred to 2026 pending further industry input and congressional funding approvals. These revisions stem from cost overruns driven by the mission's intricate requirements, including Mars ascent vehicle development and Earth return logistics, compounded by U.S. fiscal dependencies such as annual appropriations that have repeatedly scrutinized the program's ballooning expenses. Industry proposals have further influenced the redesign, with companies like offering firm-fixed-price solutions to execute the retrieval and return for under $3 billion by leveraging commercial efficiencies and streamlined operations, potentially aligning with NASA's goal of fiscal feasibility without sacrificing scientific objectives. Meanwhile, the Perseverance rover's sample collection, ongoing as of 2025 with more than 30 samples gathered and expected to conclude in the next few years, will provide the cache of 10 tubes at the Three Forks depot, along with additional samples stored on the rover, for retrieval. China's Tianwen-3 mission presents a contrasting timeline, with dual launches scheduled for 2028 using rockets, followed by sample collection on Mars and return to by 2031—potentially four to nine years ahead of revised NASA-ESA projections. This accelerated schedule reflects geopolitical dynamics, as U.S. delays have prompted to prioritize its independent program, emphasizing cost-effective engineering and adherence to international planetary protection protocols to maintain global collaboration opportunities. Overall, these revisions underscore how mission complexity and funding volatility continue to reshape sample-return economics, with international competition driving innovations in affordability and speed.

Role in Human Mars Exploration

The Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission serves as a critical precursor to by providing direct access to Martian materials for detailed , enabling the validation of technologies and models essential for crewed operations. Returned samples will offer ground-truth to refine predictive models of Mars' environment, including , dynamics, and geological hazards, which are vital for designing safe habitats and trajectories for astronauts. This aligns with NASA's Artemis-to-Mars architecture, where MSR informs the transition from lunar outposts to Martian settlements by the 2040s, as emphasized in agency strategies for sustainable presence beyond . A primary implication of MSR for missions lies in advancing in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), where samples of and atmospheric constituents can be tested to develop processes for extracting oxygen, water, and propellants directly from Mars' surface. For instance, analyzing returned will optimize ISRU technologies like the experiment's oxygen production from , reducing reliance on Earth-supplied and enabling for ascent vehicles or habitats. This testing on Earth-based analogs derived from actual samples will accelerate the maturation of ISRU systems, crucial for long-duration stays that minimize launch mass and costs for crewed expeditions. MSR also facilitates hazard assessment for potential sites by characterizing , abrasiveness, and seismic activity through examination of samples, informing to avoid risks like instability or airborne particulates that could endanger astronauts or equipment. Validation of these properties will enhance models for environmental interactions, such as storms' impact on solar arrays or shielding needs, providing a foundation for robust mission planning. In 2025, highlighted MSR's role in these preparatory efforts, positioning it as an indispensable step toward landings targeted for the 2040s. Internationally, China's Tianwen-3 MSR mission supports its taikonaut program by gathering data on Martian resources and return logistics, serving as a prerequisite for aspirational crewed Mars missions in the . Success in sample acquisition and return will demonstrate key capabilities for human-scale operations, aligning with Beijing's broader ambitions for sustained exploration.

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