A critical NASA mission in the search for life beyond Earth, Mars Sample Return, is in trouble. Its budget has ballooned from US$5 billion to over $11 billion, and the sample return date may slip from the end of this decade to 2040. As an astronomer who studies cosmology and has written a book about early missions to Mars, I've been watching the sample return saga play out. Curiosity, which landed on Mars in 2012, is still active; its twin, Perseverance, which landed on Mars in 2021, will play a crucial role in the sample return mission. Sample return breaks the bankMars Sample Return has blown a hole in NASA's budget, which threatens other missions that need funding.

Source: The Hindu May 01, 2024 18:45 UTC