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{{Short description|Proposed Mars sample return mission}}{{Copy edit|date=December 2023}}{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}(File:Mars Sample return mission logo.png|thumb|NASA-ESA MSR Patch)File:PIA25326-MarsSampleReturnProgram-20220727.jpg|thumb|300px|Mars Sample Return ProgramNEWS, Chang, Kenneth, NASA Will Send More Helicopters to Mars – Instead of sending another rover to help retrieve rock and dirt samples from the red planet and bring them to Earth, the agency will provide the helicopters as a backup option.,weblink July 27, 2022, The New York TimesThe New York Times(File:20221114MSRAnimationTrailer-1920 (1) Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth.webm|thumb|Mars Sample Return{{Citation |title=Mars Sample Return: Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9G36CDLzIg |language=en |access-date=2023-02-06}}(Video; November 17, 2022))The NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return is a proposed Flagship-class Mars sample return (MSR) missionWEB, Berger, Eric, 2023-09-21, Independent reviewers find NASA Mars Sample Return plans are seriously flawed,weblink 2023-09-23, Ars Technica, en-us, to collect Martian rock and soil samples in 43 small, cylindrical, pencil-sized, titanium tubes and return them to Earth around 2033.NEWS, Chang, Kenneth, Bringing Mars Rocks to Earth: Our Greatest Interplanetary Circus Act – NASA and the European Space Agency plan to toss rocks from one spacecraft to another before the samples finally land on Earth in 2031,weblink July 28, 2020, The New York Times, July 28, 2020, The NASA–ESA plan, approved in September 2022, is to return samples using three missions: a sample collection mission (Perseverance), a sample retrieval mission (Sample Retrieval Lander + Mars Ascent Vehicle + Sample Transfer Arm + 2 Ingenuity-class helicopters), and a return mission (Earth Return Orbiter).WEB, Foust, Jeff, March 27, 2022, NASA to delay Mars Sample Return, switch to dual-lander approach,weblink March 28, 2022, SpaceNews, WEB, December 8, 2009, Future Planetary Exploration: New Mars Sample Return Plan,weblink WEB, Mars sample return,weblink 2022-01-03, www.esa.int, en, The mission hopes to resolve the question of whether Mars once harbored life.Although the proposal is still in the design stage, the Perseverance rover is currently gathering samples on Mars and the components of the sample retrieval lander are in testing phase on earth.WEB, mars.nasa.gov, Mars Sample Return Campaign,weblink 2022-06-15, mars.nasa.gov, en, WEB, mars.nasa.gov, NASA Mars Ascent Vehicle Continues Progress Toward Mars Sample Return,weblink 2023-08-01, NASA Mars Exploration, en, After a project review critical of its cost and complexity,WEB, Berger, Eric, 2023-06-23, NASA's Mars Sample Return has a new price tag—and it's colossal,weblink 2023-08-01, Ars Technica, en-us, WEB, Berger, Eric, 2023-07-13, The Senate just lobbed a tactical nuke at NASA's Mars Sample Return program,weblink 2023-08-01, Ars Technica, en-us, NASA announced that the project was "paused" as of 13 November 2023.WEB, Smith, Marcia, November 13, 2023, NASA "Pauses" Mars Sample Return Program While Assessing Options,weblink 2023-11-18, spacepolicyonline.com, en-US, On 22 November 2023, NASA was reported to have cut back on the Mars sample-return mission due to a possible shortage of funds.NEWS, Berg, Matt, Lawmakers 'mystified' after NASA scales back Mars collection program - The space agency's cut could "cost hundreds of jobs and a decade of lost science," the bipartisan group says.,weblink 22 November 2023, Politico, live,weblink 22 November 2023, 25 November 2023, In April 2024, in a NASA update via teleconference, the NASA Administrator emphasized continuing the commitment to retrieving the samples. However, under the then-current mission profile, the cost of $11 billion was infeasible, therefore NASA would turn to industry and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to form a new, more fiscally feasible mission profile to retrieve the samples, with responses expected by fall 2024.WEB, NASA Invites Media to Mars Sample Return Update - NASA,weblink 2024-04-15, en-US, WEB, NASA says it's revising the Mars Sample Return mission due to cost, long wait time,weblink 2024-04-15, ABC News, en,

History

{{see also|Mars sample-return mission#History}}

2001 to 2004

In the summer of 2001 the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) requested mission concepts and proposals from industry-led teams (Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and TRW)."Mars Sample Return – Studies for a Fresh Look," R. Mattingly, S. Matousek and R. Gershman, 2002 IEEE Aerospace Conference, 2–493. The science requirements included at least {{convert|500|g}} of samples, rover mobility to obtain samples at least {{convert|1|km}} from the landing spot, and drilling to obtain one sample from a depth of {{convert|2|m}}. That following winter, JPL made similar requests of certain university aerospace engineering departments (MIT and the University of Michigan).Also in 2001, a separate set of industry studies was done for the Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) due to the uniqueness and key role of the MAV for MSR."Mars Ascent Vehicle – Concept Development," D. Stephenson, AIAA 2002–4318, 38th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, July 7–10, 2002. Figure 11 in this reference summarized the need for MAV flight testing at a high altitude over Earth, based on Lockheed Martin's analysis that the risk of mission failure is "extremely high" if launch vehicle components are only tested separately.In 2003 JPL reported that the mission concepts from 2001 had been deemed too costly, which led to the study of a more affordable plan accepted by two groups of scientists, a new MSR Science Steering Group and the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG)."Mars Sample Return, Updated to a Groundbreaking Approach," R. Mattingly, S. Matousek and F. Jordan, 2003 IEEE Aerospace Conference, 2–745. Instead of a rover and deep drilling, a scoop on the lander would dig {{convert|20|cm}} deep and place multiple samples together into one container. After five years of technology development, the MAV would be flight-tested twice above Earth before the mission PDR (Preliminary Design Review) in 2009.Based on the simplified mission plan, assuming a launch from Earth in 2013 and two weeks on Mars for a 2016 return, technology development was initiated for ensuring with high reliability that potential Mars microbes would not contaminate Earth, and also that the Mars samples would not be contaminated with Earth-origin biological materials."Planetary Protection Technology for Mars Sample Return," R. Gershman, M. Adams, R. Dillman and J. Fragola, paper number 1444, 2005 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2005. The sample container would be clean on the outside before departing from Mars, with installation onto the MAV inside an "Earth-clean MAV garage."In 2004 JPL published an update on the 2003 plan."Continuing Evolution of Mars Sample Return," R. Mattingly, S. Matousek and F. Jordan, 2004 IEEE Aerospace Conference, p. 477. MSR would use the new large sky crane landing system in development for the Mars Science Laboratory rover (later named Curiosity). A MSR Technology Board was formed, and it was noted that the use of a rover might return to the MSR plan, in light of success with the Spirit and Opportunity rovers that arrived early in 2004. A {{convert|285|kg|adj=on}} ascent rocket would carry {{convert|0.5|kg|adj=on}} of samples inside a {{convert|5|kg|adj=on}} payload, the Orbiting Sample (OS). The MAV would transmit enough telemetry to reconstruct events in case of failure on the way up to Mars orbit.

2005 to 2008

As of 2005 a rover had returned to the MSR plan, with a rock core drill in light of results from the Mars Exploration Rover discoveries."Technology Development Plans for the Mars Sample Return Mission," R. Mattingly, S. Hayati and G. Udomkesmalee, 2005 IEEE Aerospace Conference. Focused technology development would start before the end of 2005 for mission PDR in 2009, followed by launch from Earth in 2013. Related technologies in development included potential advances for Mars arrival (navigation and descent propulsion) and implementing pump-fed liquid launch vehicle technology on a scale small enough for a MAV."Mars Base Technology Program Overview," C. Chu, S. Hayati, S Udomkesmalee and D Lavery, AIAA 2005–6744, AIAA Space 2005 Conference, August 30 to September 1, 2005.In late 2005 a peer-reviewed analysis showed that ascent trajectories to Mars orbit would differ depending on liquid versus solid propulsion, largely because small solid rocket motors burn faster, requiring a steeper ascent path to avoid excess atmospheric drag, while slower burning liquid propulsion might take advantage of more efficient paths to orbit.JOURNAL, Whitehead, J.C., November–December 2005, Trajectory Analysis and Staging Trades for Smaller Mars Ascent Vehicles, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 42, 6, 1039–1046, 2005JSpRo..42.1039W, 10.2514/1.10680, Early in 2006 the Marshall Space Flight Center noted the possibility that a science rover would cache the samples on Mars, then subsequently a mini-rover would be sent along with the MAV on a sample return lander, in which case either the mini-rover or the science rover would deliver the samples to the lander for loading onto the MAV."Mars Ascent Vehicle Key Elements of a Mars Sample Return Mission," D. Stephenson and H. Willenberg, 2006 IEEE Aerospace Conference paper number 1009. A two-stage {{convert|250|kg|adj=on}} solid propellant MAV would be gas ejected from a launch tube with its {{convert|5|kg|adj=on}} payload, a {{convert|16|cm|adj=on}} diameter spherical package containing the samples. The second stage would send telemetry and its steering thrusters would use hydrazine fuel with additives. The authors expected the MAV to need multiple flight tests at a high altitude over Earth.A peer-reviewed publication in 2007 described testing of autonomous sample capture for Mars orbit rendezvous.Kornfeld, R., J. Parrish, and S. Sell (May–June 2007). "Mars Sample Return: Testing the Last Meter of Rendezvous and Sample Capture." Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. 44 (3): 692–702. Free-floating tests were done on board a NASA aircraft using a parabolic "zero-g" flight path.In 2007 Alan Stern, then NASA's Associate Administrator for Science, was strongly in favor of completing MSR sooner, and he asked JPL to include sample caching on the Mars Science Laboratory mission (later named Curiosity)."Space, science, and the bottom line," A. Witze, Nature. 448, p 978, August 30, 2007. A team at the Ames Research Center was designing a hockey puck-sized sample-caching device to be installed as an extra payload on MSL."Mars Sample Return Proposal Stirs Excitement, Controversy," L. David, Space News, July 23, 2007, p 19.A review analysis in 2008 compared Mars ascent to lunar ascent, noting that the MAV would be not only technically daunting, but also a cultural challenge for the planetary community, given that lunar ascent has been done using known technology, and that science missions typically rely on proven propulsion for course corrections and orbit insertion maneuvers, similar to what Earth satellites do routinely."Defining the Mars Ascent Problem for Sample Return," J. Whitehead, AIAA 2008–7768, AIAA Space 2008 Conference, San Diego Calif., September 2008.

2009 to 2011

Early in 2009 the In-Space Propulsion Technology project office at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) presented a ranking of six MAV options, concluding that a {{convert|285|kg|adj=on}} two-stage solid rocket with continuous telemetry would be best for delivering a {{convert|5|kg|adj=on}} sample package to Mars orbit."Mars Ascent Vehicle Technology Planning," J. Dankanich, 2009 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2009. A single-stage pump-fed bipropellant MAV"Pump Fed Propulsion for Mars Ascent and Other Challenging Maneuvers," J. Whitehead, NASA Science Technology Conference, June 2007. was noted to be less heavy and was ranked second.Later in 2009 the chief technologist of the Mars Exploration Directorate at JPL referred to a 2008 workshop on MSR technologies at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, and wrote that particularly difficult technology challenges included the MAV, sample acquisition and handling, and back planetary protection, then further commented that "The MAV, in particular, stands out as the system with highest development risk, pointing to the need for an early start" leading to flight testing before preliminary design review (PDR) of the lander that would deliver the MAV."Strategic Technology Development for Future Mars Missions (2013–2022)," S. Hayati et al., A white paper submitted to the National Research Council as input to the Planetary Decadal Survey, September 2009.weblink Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group, Retrieved November 11, 2022In 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".WEB, July 8, 2009, NASA and ESA Establish a Mars Exploration Joint Initiative,weblink NASA, December 27, 2022, October 28, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20091028011909weblink">weblink dead, {{PD-notice}}WEB, Christensen, Phil, April 2010, Planetary Science Decadal Survey: MSR Lander Mission,weblink 2012-08-24, JPL, NASA, {{PD-notice}} ExoMars's first mission was planned to launch in 2018Mars Sample-Return {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518010223weblink|date=May 18, 2008}} NASA Accessed May 26, 2008 {{PD-notice}}NEWS, July 10, 2008, BBC – Science/Nature – Date set for Mars sample mission,weblink with unspecified missions to return samples in the 2020–2022 time frame.WEB, July 21, 2008, Mars Sample Return: bridging robotic and human exploration,weblink 2008-11-18, European Space Agency, As reported to the NASA Advisory Council Science Committee (NAC-SC)"NASA Advisory Council Science Committee website,"weblink Retrieved July 4, 2023 early in 2010, MEPAG estimated that MSR "will cost $8-10B, and it is obvious that NASA and ESA can't fund this amount by themselves.""NASA Advisory Council Science Committee February 16–17, 2010 Meeting Report,"weblink NASA Headquarters. Page 6. Retrieved July 4, 2023 The cancellation of the caching rover MAX-C in 2011, and later NASA withdrawal from ExoMars, due to budget limitations, ended the mission.WEB, August 22, 2012, International cooperation called key to planet exploration,weblink NBC News, The pull-out was described as "traumatic" for the science community.In 2010–2011 the NASA In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program at the Glenn Research Center received proposals and funded industry partners for MAV design studies with contract options to begin technology development, while also considering propulsion needs for Earth return spacecraft."Sample Return Propulsion Technology Development under NASA's ISPT Project," D. Anderson, J. Dankanich, D. Hahne, E. Pencil, T. Peterson, and M. Munk, 2011 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Paper number 1115, March 2011. Inserting the spacecraft into Mars orbit, then returning to Earth, was noted to need a high total of velocity changes, leading to a conclusion that solar electric propulsion could reduce mission risk by improving mass margins, compared to the previously assumed use of chemical propulsion along with aerobraking at Mars."Mars Sample Return Orbiter/Earth Return Vehicle Technology Needs and Mission Risk Assessment," J. Dankanich, L. Burke, and J. Hemminger, 2010 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Paper number 1483, March 2010. The ISPT team also studied scenarios for MAV flight testing over Earth and recommended two flight tests prior to MSR mission PDR, considering the historical low probability of initial success for new launch vehicles."Mars Ascent Vehicle Test Requirements and Terrestrial Validation," D. Anderson, J. Dankanich, D. Hahne, E. Pencil, T. Peterson, and M. Munk, 2011 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Paper number 1115, March 2011.The NASA–ESA potential mission schedule anticipated launches from Earth in 2018, 2022 and 2024 to send respectively a sample caching rover, a sample return orbiter and a sample retrieval lander for a 2027 Earth arrival, with MAV development starting in 2014 after two years of technology development identified by the MAV design studies."Mars Sample Return Campaign Status," E. Nilsen, C. Whetsel, R. Mattingly, and L. May 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Paper number 1627, March 2012. The ISPT program summarized a year of propulsion technology progress for improving Mars arrival, Mars ascent, and Earth return, stating that the first flight test of a MAV engineering model would need to occur in 2018 to meet the 2024 launch date for the sample retrieval lander."Status of Sample Return Propulsion Technology Development under NASA's ISPT Program," D. Anderson, M. Munk, J. Dankanich, L. Glaab, E. Pencil, and T. Peterson, 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2012.The 2011 MAV industry studies were done by Lockheed-Martin teamed with ATK; Northrop-Grumman; and Firestar Technologies, to deliver a 5-kg (11-lb), 16-cm (6.3-inch) diameter sample sphere to Mars orbit."Mars Ascent Vehicle Development Status," J. Dankanich and E. Klein, 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2012. The Lockheed-Martin-ATK team focused on a solid propellant first stage with either solid or liquid propellant for the upper stage, estimated MAV mass in the range 250 to 300 kg (550 to 660 lb), and identified technologies for development to reduce mass."Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV): Designing for High Heritage and Low Risk," D. Ross, J. Russell, and B. Sutter, 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2012. Northrop-Grumman (the former TRW) similarly estimated a mass below 300 kg using pressure-fed liquid bipropellants for both stages,"Mars Ascent Vehicle System Studies and Baseline Conceptual Design," M. Trinidad, E. Zabrensky, and A. Sengupta, 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2012. and had plans for further progress."Systems Engineering and Support Systems Technology Considerations of a Mars Ascent Vehicle," A. Sengupta, M. Pauken, A. Kennett, M. Trinidad, and E. Zabrensky, 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2012. Firestar Technologies described a single-stage MAV design having liquid fuel and oxidizer blended together in one main propellant tank."NOFBX Single Stage to Orbit Mars Ascent Vehicle," G. Mungas, D. Fisher, J. Vozoff, and M. Villa, 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2012.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.National Academy of Sciences, National Academies Press,weblink , Visions and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013–2022, 2011; {{ISBN|978-0-309-22464-2}}. Retrieved December 30, 2022WEB, EXPLORING OUR SOLAR SYSTEM: THE ASTEROIDS ACT AS A KEY STEP,weblink www.govinfo.gov, 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. The plan cancelled in 2011 for budget reasons had been for NASA and ESA to each build a rover to send together in 2018."Will Tight Budgets Sink NASA Flagships?," Y. Bhattacharjee, Science, 334: 758–759 11 November 2011.

2012 to 2013

In 2012 prospects for MSR were slowed further by a 38-percent cut in NASA's Mars program budget for fiscal year 2013, leading to controversy among scientists over whether Mars exploration could thrive on a series of small rover missions."Planetary Science is Busting Budgets," R. Kerr, Science, 337: 402–404, July 27, 2012. A Mars Program Planning Group (MPPG) was convened as one response to budget cuts."House Panel Wants NASA to Plan Mars Sample Return," Y. Bhattacharjee, Science, April 18, 2012.In mid-2012, eight weeks before Curiosity arrived on Mars, the Lunar and Planetary Institute hosted a NASA-sponsored three-day workshop"Concepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration, June 12–14, 2012, Houston, Texas,"weblink Universities Space Research Association website. Retrieved August 15, 2023 to gather expertise and ideas from a wide range of professionals and students, as input to help NASA reformulate the Mars Exploration Program, responsive to the latest Planetary Decadal Survey that prioritized MSR. A summary report noted that the workshop was held in response to recent deep budget cuts, 390 submissions were received, 185 people attended and agreed that "credible steps toward MSR" could be done with reduced funding."Concepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration - Report of a Workshop at LPI, June 12–14, 2012,"weblink S. Mackwell et al, Universities Space Research Association website. Retrieved August 15, 2023 The MAX-C rover (ultimately implemented as Mars 2020, Perseverance) was considered beyond financial reach at that time, so the report noted that progress toward MSR could include an orbiter mission to test autonomous rendezvous, or a Phoenix-class lander to demonstrate pinpoint landing while delivering a MAV as a technology demonstration. The workshop consisted largely of three breakout group discussions for Technology and Enabling Capabilities, Science and Mission Concepts, and Human Exploration and Precursors.Wide-ranging discussions were documented by the Technology Panel,"Technology and Enabling Capabilities,"weblink M. Amato, B. Ehlmann, V. Hamilton, B. Mulac, Universities Space Research Association website. Retrieved August 15, 2023 which suggested investments for improved drilling and "small is beautiful" rovers with an "emphasis on creative mass-lowering capabilities." The panel stated that MAV "functional technology is not new" but the Mars environment would pose challenges, and referred to MAV technologies as "a risk for most sample return scenarios of any cost range." MAV technology was addressed in numerous written submissions"Launch and Transfer Systems Technology and Architecture Considerations for Mars Exploration,"weblink L. Craig, Universities Space Research Association website. Retrieved August 15, 2023"High-Performance Mars Ascent Propulsion Technologies with Adaptability to ISRU and Human Exploration,"weblink M. Trinidad, J. Calvignac, A. Lo, Universities Space Research Association website. Retrieved August 15, 2023"A Perspective on Mars Ascent for Scientists,"weblink J. Whitehead, Universities Space Research Association website. Retrieved August 15, 2023"A Storable, Hybrid Mars Ascent Vehicle Technology Demonstrator for the 2020 Launch Opportunity,"weblink A. Chandler et al, Universities Space Research Association website. Retrieved August 15, 2023"NOFBXâ„¢ Mars Ascent Vehicle: A Single Stage to Orbit Approach,"weblink J. Vozoff, D Fisher, G. Mungas, Universities Space Research Association website. Retrieved August 15, 2023 to the workshop, one of which described Mars ascent as "beyond proven technology" (velocity and acceleration in combination for small rockets) and a "huge challenge for the social system," referring to a "Catch-22" dilemma "in which there is no tolerance for new technology if sample return is on the near-term horizon, and no MAV funding if sample return is on the far horizon."In September 2012 NASA announced its intention to further study MSR strategies as outlined by the MPPG – including a multiple launch scenario, a single-launch scenario, and a multiple-rover scenario – for a mission beginning as early as 2018.WEB, Leone, Dan, October 3, 2012, Mars Planning Group Endorses Sample Return,weblink March 1, 2022, SpaceNews, {{cbignore|bot=medic}}Mars Program Planning Group, September 25, 2012, WEB, Summary of the Final Report,weblink December 27, 2022, June 2, 2016,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20160602155902weblink">weblink dead, WEB, Wall, Mike, September 27, 2012, Bringing Pieces of Mars to Earth: How NASA Will Do It,weblink Space.com, WEB, Mattingly, Richard, March 2010, Mission Concept Study: Planetary Science Decadal Survey – MSR Orbiter Mission (Including Mars Returned Sample Handling),weblink dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150929103136weblink">weblink 2015-09-29, NASA, {{PD-notice}} A "fetch rover" would retrieve the sample caches and deliver them to a Mars ascent vehicle (MAV). In July 2018, NASA contracted Airbus to produce a "fetch rover" concept.NEWS, Amos, Jonathan, July 6, 2018, Fetch rover! Robot to retrieve Mars rocks, BBC,weblink As of late 2012, It was determined that the MAX-C rover concept to collect samples could be implemented for a launch in 2020 (Mars 2020), within available funding using spare parts and mission plans developed for NASA's Curiosity Mars roverNEWS, NASA announces plans for new US$1.5 billion Mars rover,weblink$1.5-billion-mars-rover/, 15 August 2023, CNET, 4 December 2012, William, Harwood, Using spare parts and mission plans developed for NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, the space agency says it can build and launch the rover in 2020 and stay within current budget guidelines., In 2013 the NASA Ames Research Center proposed that a SpaceX Falcon Heavy could deliver two tons of useful payload to the Mars surface, including an Earth return spacecraft that would be launched from Mars by a one-ton single-stage MAV using liquid bipropellants fed by turbopumps."Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Mission Architecture Overview," A. Gonzales, C. Stoker, L. Lemke, J. Bowles, L. Huynh, N. Faber, and M. Race, 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2014."Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Propulsive Entry, Descent, and Landing," L. Lemke, A. Gonzales, and L. Huynh, 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2014."Mars Sample Return: Mars Ascent Vehicle Mission & Technology Requirements," J. Bowles, L. Huynh, V. Hawke, and X. Jiang, NASA/TM-2013-216620, November 2013.weblink NASA Technical Reports Server, Retrieved January 8, 2023 The successful landing of the Curiosity rover directly on its wheels (August 2012) motivated JPL to take a fresh look at carrying the MAV on the back of a rover."The Mobile MAV Concept for Mars Sample Return," E. Klein, E. Nilsen, A. Nicholas, C. Whetsel, J. Parrish, R. Mattingly, and L. May 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2014. A fully guided 300-kg MAV (like Lockheed's 2011 two-stage solid) would avoid the need for a round-trip fetch rover. A smaller 150-kg MAV would permit one rover to also include sample collection while using MSL heritage to reduce mission cost and development time, placing most development risk on the MAV. The 150-kg MAV would be made lightweight by spinning it up before stage separation, although the lack of telemetry data from the spin-stabilized unguided upper stage was noted as a disadvantage.JPL later presented more details of the 150-kg solid propellant mini-MAV concept of 2012, in a summary of selected past efforts."History of Mars Ascent Vehicle Development Over the Last 20 Years," R. Shotwell, 2016 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2016. The absence of telemetry data during the 1999 loss of the Mars Polar Lander had put an emphasis on "critical event communications", subsequently applied to MSR. Then after the MSL landing in 2012, requirements had been revisited with a goal to reduce MAV mass. Single fault tolerance and continuous telemetry data to Mars orbit were questioned. For the 500 grams (1.1 lb) of samples, a 3.6-kg (7.9 lb) payload was deemed possible instead of 5 kg (11 lb). The 2012 mini-MAV concept had single-string avionics, in addition to the spin-stabilized upper stage without telemetry.

2014 to 2017

In 2014–2015 JPL analyzed many options for Mars ascent including solid, hybrid and liquid propellants, for payloads ranging from 6.5 kg to 25 kg."Technology Development and Design of Liquid Bipropellant Mars Ascent Vehicles," D. Vaughan, B. Nakazono, A. Karp, R. Shotwell, A. London, A. Mehra, and F. Mechentel, 2016 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2016. Four MAV concepts using solid propellant had two stages, while one or two stages were considered for hybrid and liquid propellants. Seven options were scored for ten attributes ("figures of merit"). A single stage hybrid received the highest overall score, including the most points for reducing cost and separately for reducing complexity, with the fewest points for technology readiness. Second overall was a single-stage liquid bipropellant MAV using electric pumps. A pressure-fed bipropellant design was third, with the most points for technology readiness. Solid propellant options had lower scores, partly due to receiving very few points for flexibility. JPL and NASA Langley Research Center cautioned that the high thrust and short burn times of solid rocket motors would result in early burnout at a low altitude with substantial atmosphere remaining to coast through at high Mach numbers, raising stability and control concerns."Drivers, Developments and Options Under Consideration for a Mars Ascent Vehicle," R. Shotwell, J. Benito, A. Karp, and J. Dankanich, 2016 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2016. With concurrence from the Mars Program Director, a decision was made in January 2016 to focus limited technology development funds on advancing a hybrid propellant MAV (liquid oxidizer with solid fuel)."A Mars Ascent Vehicle for Potential Mars Sample Return," R. Shotwell, J. Benito, A. Karp, and J. Dankanich, 2017 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2017.Starting in 2015, a new effort for planetary protection moved the backward planetary protection function from the surface of Mars to the sample Return Orbiter, to "break-the-chain" in flight."Break-the-Chain Technology for Potential Mars Sample Return," R. Gershman, Y. Bar-Cohen, M. Hendry, M. Stricker, D. Dobrynin, and A. Morrese, 2018 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2018. Concepts for brazing, bagging, and plasma sterilization were studied and tested, with a primary focus on brazing as of 2016.

2018 to 2022

In April 2018 a letter of intent was signed by NASA and ESA that may provide a basis for a Mars sample-return mission.NEWS, Rincon, Paul, April 26, 2018, Space agencies intent on mission to deliver Mars rocks to Earth, BBC,weblink WEB, April 26, 2018, Video (02:22) – Bringing Mars Back To Earth,weblink live,weblink 2021-12-22, NASA, {{cbignore}} {{PD-notice}} The agreement"Joint Statement of Intent between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the European Space Agency on Mars Sample Return," T. Zurbuchen and D. Parker, April 26, 2018.weblink Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group, Retrieved January 28, 2023 was dated during the 2nd International Mars Sample Return Conference in Berlin, Germany.2nd International Mars Sample Return Conference, April 25–27, 2018.weblink Astrobiology at NASA, Retrieved January 28, 2023 The conference program was archived along with 125 technical submissions that covered sample science (anticipated findings, site selection, collection, curation, analysis) and mission implementation (Mars arrival, rovers, rock drills, sample transfer robotics, Mars ascent, autonomous orbit rendezvous, interplanetary propulsion, Earth arrival, planetary protection)."2018 International Mars Sample Return Conference Berlin."weblink Lunar and Planetary Institute, Retrieved January 28, 2023 In one of many presentations, an international science team noted that collecting sedimentary rock samples would be required to search for ancient life."Seeking Signs of Life on Mars: The Importance of Sedimentary Suites as Part of Mars Sample Return," iMOST Team (International MSR Objectives and Samples Team), MSR 2018 Berlin,weblink Lunar and Planetary Institute, Retrieved 18 February 2023 A joint NASA-ESA presentation described the baseline mission architecture, including sample collection by the Mars 2020 Rover derived from the MAX-C concept, a Sample Retrieval Lander, and an Earth Return Orbiter."Mars Sample Return Architecture Overview," C. Edwards and S. Vijendran, MSR 2018 Berlin,weblink Lunar and Planetary Institute, Retrieved February 12, 2023 An alternative proposal was to use a SpaceX Falcon Heavy to decrease mission cost while delivering more mass to Mars and returning more samples."Commercial Capabilities to Accelerate Timeline and Decrease Cost for Return of Samples from Mars," P. Wooster, M. Marinova, and J. Brost, MSR 2018 Berlin,weblink Lunar and Planetary Institute, Retrieved February 12, 2023 Another submission to the Berlin conference noted that mission cost could be reduced by advancing MAV technology to enable a significantly smaller MAV for a given sample payload."Mars Ascent Vehicle Needs Technology Development with a Focus on High Propellant Fractions," J. Whitehead, MSR 2018 Berlin,weblink Lunar and Planetary Institute, Retrieved February 12, 2023In July 2019 a mission architecture was proposed.NEWS, Foust, Jeff, July 28, 2019, Mars sample return mission plans begin to take shape, SpaceNews,weblink WEB, Cowart, Justin, August 13, 2019, NASA, ESA Officials Outline Latest Mars Sample Return Plans,weblink The Planetary Society, In 2019, JPL authors summarized sample retrieval, including a sample fetch rover, options for fitting 20 or 30 sample tubes into a {{convert|12|kg|adj=on}} payload on a {{convert|400|kg|adj=on}} single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) MAV that would use hybrid propellants, a liquid oxidizer with a solid wax fuel, which had been prioritized for propulsion technology development since 2016."Mars Sample Return Lander Mission Concepts," B. Muirhead and A. Karp, 2019 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2019. Meanwhile, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) presented a comparison of solid and hybrid propulsion for the MAV."Development Concepts for Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Solid and Hybrid Vehicle Systems," L. McCollum et al., 2019 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2019. Later in 2019, MSFC and JPL had collaborated on designing a two-stage solid propellant MAV, and noted that an unguided spinning upper stage could reduce mass, but this approach was abandoned at the time due to the potential for orbital variations."A Design for a Two-Stage Solid Mars Ascent Vehicle," A. Prince, T. Kibbey, and A. Karp, AIAA 2019–4149, AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum, August 2019.Early in 2020 JPL updated the overall mission plan for an orbiting sample package (the size of a basketball"Bold plan to retrieve Mars samples takes shape," D. Clery and P. Voosen, Science, 366: 932, November 22, 2019.) containing 30 tubes, showing solid and hybrid MAV options in the range {{convert|400|to|500|kg}}."Mars Sample Return Mission Concept Status," B. Muirhead, A. Nicholas, and J. Umland, 2020 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2020. Adding details, MSFC presented designs for both the solid and hybrid MAV designs, for a target mass of {{convert|400|kg}} at Mars liftoff to deliver 20 or 30 sample tubes in a {{convert|14|to|16|kg|adj=on}} payload package."Mars Ascent Vehicle Solid Propulsion Configuration," D. Yaghoubi and A. Schnell, 2020 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2020."Mars Ascent Vehicle Hybrid Propulsion Configuration," D. Yaghoubi and A. Schnell, 2020 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2020. In April 2020, an updated version of the mission was presented.WEB, Clark, Stephen, April 20, 2020, NASA narrows design for rocket to launch samples off of Mars,weblink April 21, 2020, Spaceflight Now, The decision to adopt a two-stage solid rocket MAV was followed by Design Analysis Cycle 0.0 in the spring of 2020, which refined the MAV to a {{convert|525|kg|adj=on}} design having guidance for both stages, leading to reconsideration of an unguided spin-stabilized second stage to save mass."Integrated Design Results for the MSR DAC-0.0 Mars Ascent Vehicle," D. Yaghoubi and P. Ma, 2021 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2021.In October 2020, the MSR Independent Review Board (IRB) released its report"Mars Sample Return (MSR) Program: Final Report of the Independent Review Board (IRB),"weblink NASA reports website. Retrieved July 6, 2023 recommending overall that the MSR program proceed, then in November NASA responded to detailed IRB recommendations."Summary of NASA Responses to Mars Sample Return Independent Review Board Recommendations,"weblink NASA reports website. Retrieved July 6, 2023 The IRB noted that MSR would have eight first-time challenges including the first launch from another planet, autonomous orbital rendezvous, and robotic sample handling with sealing to "break-the-chain"."Mars Sample Return (MSR) Program: Final Report of the Independent Review Board (IRB)," Notes below Chart 33,weblink NASA reports website. Retrieved July 6, 2023 The IRB cautioned that the MAV will be unlike any previous launch vehicle, and experience shows that the smaller a launch vehicle, the more likely it is to end up heavier than designed."Mars Sample Return (MSR) Program: Final Report of the Independent Review Board (IRB)," Chart 42 and notes below it,weblink NASA reports website. Retrieved July 6, 2023 Referring to the unguided upper stage of the MAV, the IRB stated the importance of telemetry for critical events, "to allow useful reconstruction of a fault during second stage flight"."Mars Sample Return (MSR) Program: Final Report of the Independent Review Board (IRB)," Chart 43 and notes below it,weblink NASA reports website. Retrieved July 6, 2023 The IRB indicated that the most probable mission cost would be $3.8-$4.4B."Mars Sample Return (MSR) Program: Final Report of the Independent Review Board (IRB)," Chart 57 and notes below it,weblink NASA reports website. Retrieved July 6, 2023 As reported to the NAC-SC in April 2021, the Planetary Science Advisory Committee (PAC)"NASA Planetary Science Advisory Committee website,"weblink Retrieved July 4, 2023 was "very concerned about the high cost" of MSR, and wanted to be sure that astrobiology considerations would be included in plans for returned sample laboratories."NASA Advisory Council Science Committee April 14–15, 2021 Meeting Report,"weblink NASA Headquarters. Page 3. Retrieved July 4, 2023Early in 2022 MSFC presented the guided-unguided MAV design for a {{convert|125|kg|adj=on}} mass reduction and documented remaining challenges including aerodynamic complexities during the first stage burn and coast to altitude, a desire to locate hydrazine steering thrusters farther from the center of mass, and stage separation without tip-off rotation."Integrated Design Results for the MSR SRC Mars Ascent Vehicle," D. Yaghoubi and S. Maynor, 2022 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2022. While stage separation and subsequent spin-up would be flight tested, the authors noted that it would be ideal to flight test an entire flight-like MAV, but there would be a large cost.In April 2022, the United States National Academies released the Planetary Science Decadal Survey report for 2023-2032, a review of plans and priorities for the upcoming ten years, after many committee meetings starting in 2020, with consideration of over 500 independently submitted white papers, more than 100 regarding Mars including comments on science and technology for sample return."Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032,"weblink National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Retrieved February 26, 2023 The published document noted NASA's 2017 plan for a "focused and rapid" sample return campaign with essential participation from ESA, then recommended, "The highest scientific priority of NASA's robotic exploration efforts this decade should be completion of Mars Sample Return as soon as is practicably possible.""Origins, Worlds, and Life. A Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023–2032,"weblinkweblink National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Space Studies Board, National Academies Press, 2022; {{ISBN|978-0-309-47578-5}}. See pages 22-7 to 22-9. Retrieved February 26, 2023 Decadal white papers emphasized the importance of MSR for science,"Why Mars Sample Return is a Mission Campaign of Compelling Importance to Planetary Science and Exploration,"weblink MEPAG website. Retrieved July 5, 2023 included a description of implementing MSR,"Mars Sample Return Campaign Concept Architecture,"weblink MEPAG website. Retrieved July 5, 2023 and noted that the MAV has been underestimated despite needing flight performance beyond the state of the art for small rockets,"The Challenge of Launching Geology Samples off of Mars is Easily Underestimated, Due to Tempting Misconceptions,"weblink MEPAG website. Retrieved July 4, 2023 needs a sustained development effort,"Mars Ascent Vehicle needs a Sustained Development Effort, Regardless of Sample Return Mission Timelines,"weblink MEPAG website. Retrieved July 4, 2023 and that technology development for a smaller MAV has the potential to reduce MSR mission cost."Technology Development Can Lead to Smaller Mars Ascent Vehicles, for Multiple Affordable Sample Returns,"weblink MEPAG website. Retrieved July 4, 2023 Decadal Survey committee meetings hosted numerous invited speakers, notably a presentation from the MSR IRB."Decadal Survey on Planetary Science and Astrobiology: Steering Group Seventh Meeting Revised Final Agenda,"weblink National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Retrieved July 6, 2023As of March 2022, separate landers were planned for the fetch rover and the MAV because together they would be too large and heavy for a single lander, then a cost-saving plan as of July was to send only one lander with the MAV and rely on the Perseverance rover to pass sample tubes to the MAV in the absence of a fetch rover.Foust, Jeff (July 27, 2022) "NASA and ESA remove rover from Mars Sample Return plans,"weblink Space News. Retrieved December 21, 2023 Two new lightweight helicopters on the MAV lander would serve as a backup for moving the samples on Mars."Mars choppers displace fetch rover in sample-return plan," J. Foust, Space News, August 2022, p. 6-7.

2023 to 2024

At the start of 2023 it was revealed that a "Mars Sample Fetch Helicopter" had been envisioned since at least 2021 by the team at AeroVironment that created Ingenuity to fly in the thin atmosphere of Mars."Martian aviator," an interview with Ben Pipenberg, P. Marks, Aerospace America, January 2023, p. 14-19. In a public budget meeting in March, NASA noted the high cost of MSR and had begun to assemble a second independent review board to assess the design, schedule and required funding.“Mars Rocks Await a Ride to Earth -- Can NASA Deliver?,” A. Witze, Nature. 616, p. 230-231, April 13, 2023.In September 2023, NASA convened a second independent review board for the Mars Sample Return mission. In January 2024, a related proposed NASA plan had been challenged due to budget and scheduling considerations, and a newer overhaul plan undertaken.NEWS, David, Leopnard, NASA's troubled Mars sample-return mission has scientists seeing red - Projected multibillion-dollar overruns have some calling the agency's plan a 'dumpster fire.',weblink 15 January 2024, Space.com, live,weblink 16 January 2024, 16 January 2024, On April 15, 2024, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Science Mission Director Nicola Fox announced the organization's response to the September 2023 independent review board's investigation, notably the finding that Mars Sample Return at its current design and cost, originally estimated at $7 billion with Earth re-entry by 2033, would now cost more than an unacceptable $11 billion and end in Earth re-entry no sooner than 2040.NEWS, Chang, Kenneth, NASA Seeks ‘Hail Mary’ for Its Mars Rocks Return Mission - The agency will seek new ideas for its Mars Sample Return program, expected to be billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule.,weblink 15 April 2024, The New York Times, live,weblink 16 April 2024, 16 April 2024, In response, Nelson and Fox stated that NASA would make requests to industry the next day to come up with alternatives that would likely utilize more proven mission architectures with longer heritages and comply with the board's recommendations, with responses preferred by fall 2024. They also said they would spend $310 million on the program for fiscal year 2024.

Sample collection

The Mars 2020 mission landed the Perseverance rover, which is storing samples to be returned to Earth later.

Mars 2020 Perseverance rover

(File:PIA26232-MarsPerseveranceRover-JezeroCrater-CoredSamples-1000sols-20231212.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Perseverance rover - cored rock sample collection at 1000 sols (December 12, 2023))(File:Mars 2020 Sample Collection Map showing samples to be left behind at Three Forks Sample Depot.jpg|thumb|Mapping Perseverance{{'s}} samples collected to date (The 10 duplicate samples to be left behind at Three Forks Sample Depot are framed in green colour.)|361x361px)File:Perseverance Sample Tubes, Tubes 1-10.png|thumb|Facsimiles of Perseverance{{'}}s sample tubes at JPLJPLThe Mars 2020 mission landed the Perseverance rover in Jezero crater in February 2021. It collected multiple samples and packed them into cylinders for later return. Jezero appears to be an ancient lakebed, suitable for ground sampling.NEWS, March 5, 2021, Welcome to 'Octavia E. Butler Landing', NASA,weblink March 5, 2021, JOURNAL, Voosen, Paul, July 31, 2021, Mars rover's sampling campaign begins,weblink Science (magazine), Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, 373, 6554, 477, 2021Sci...373..477V, 10.1126/science.373.6554.477, 34326215, August 1, 2021, 236514399, WEB, mars.nasa.gov, On the Eve of Perseverance's First Sample,weblink 2021-08-12, mars.nasa.gov, en, At the beginning of August 2021, Perseverance made its first attempt to collect a ground sample by drilling out a finger-size core of Martian rock.JOURNAL, Voosem, Paul, June 21, 2021, NASA's Perseverance rover to drill first samples of martian rock,weblink Science (magazine), Science, AAAS, August 1, 2021, This attempt did not succeed. A drill hole was produced, as indicated by instrument readings, and documented by a photograph of the drill hole. However, the sample container turned out to be empty, indicating that the rock sampled was not robust enough to produce a solid core.WEB, mars.nasa.gov, Assessing Perseverance's First Sample Attempt,weblink 2021-08-12, mars.nasa.gov, en, (File:PIA25590.jpg|thumb|left|Perseverance{{'}}s sampling bits{{bulleted list|Far left: One pointed regolith drill|Middle: Six rock drills|Right: Two shorter abrasion tools}})A second target rock judged to have a better chance to yield a sufficiently robust sample was sampled at the end of August and the beginning of September 2021. After abrading the rock, cleaning away dust by puffs of pressurized nitrogen, and inspecting the resulting rock surface, a hole was drilled on September 1. A rock sample appeared to be in the tube, but it was not immediately placed in a container. A new procedure of inspecting the tube optically was performed.WEB, mars.nasa.gov, September 2, 2021, Nasa's perseverance rover successfully cores its first rock,weblink 2021-09-10, mars.nasa.gov, en, On September 6, the process was completed and the first sample placed in a container.WEB, mars.nasa.gov, September 6, 2021, Nasa's perseverance rover collects first Mars rock sample,weblink 2021-09-10, mars.nasa.gov, en, {{excerpt|Perseverance (rover)|Samples cached for the Mars sample-return mission|only=paragraphs|hat=no}}From December 21, 2022 Perseverance started a campaign to deposit 10 of its collected samples at the backup depot, Three Forks. This work was completed on January 28, 2023.{{clear}}

List of samples cached

Sample Tube Status

{{legend|#FFD580|Left at Three Forks Sample Depot}}{{legend|#fff|Remain stowed in the Rover}}{{Import style|sticky}}{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;"|+ Sample Details class="is-sticky"!Sampling Attempt!Date!Tube No.!Seal No.!Ferrule Prefix{{NoteTag|{{Clarify span|Based on CacheCam Images|not a word on this by NASA but it is visible in all images of each tubes taken by Perseverance rover's cachecam. It serves as a distinction between samples element No.s for example Montdenier and Montagnac has sample seal no., i.e., SN170 and Roubion and Malay (or Pauls) sample had the same Ferrule No. |date=October 2022}}}}!Ferrule No.!Contents!style="min-width: 3em;" class=unsortable|Sample Name and Image during Caching{{NoteTag|The witness tubes not involving use of drill bits or using regolith drill bit are displayed by cachecam images}}!style="min-width: 5em;" class=unsortable|Sample Depot Deposit Date, Spot and Image!Rock Name!Core Length{{NoteTag|measured by volume stations}}!Estimated Martian Atmosphere Headspace Gas{{NoteTag|measured by volume stations}}!Location!style="min-width: 20em;" class=unsortable|Notes!1

month=6	year=2021}}) |SN061|SN147|10464848-7		TITLE=LOTS OF FIRST-TIME ACTIVITIES BEFORE I START DRILLING. I RECENTLY RAN ONE SAMPLE TUBE THROUGH INSPECTION, SEALING A...	LANGUAGE=EN, July 8, 2021, |Witness Tube (Empty)	frameless|80px)WB-1||N/A|N/A|2.2 x 10−6 mol		ACCESS-DATE=2021-09-09	LANGUAGE=EN, |This was taken as a dry-run in preparation for later sampling attempts, and did not aim to sample a rock. During final pre-launch activities, this witness tube was activated (the inner seal was punctured to begin accumulation) and placed in the Bit Carousel. This tube will therefore have accumulated contaminants for the entire duration of exposure from a few months before launch through cruise and EDL until it was sealed on the surface of Mars. Given its long exposure, it is likely that the inner surfaces of WB1 will be saturated with organic contaminants, i.e., they will be in adsorption equilibrium with their immediate surroundings in the rover (and or the entire spacecraft prior to landing). WB1 is therefore expected to have higher concentrations of contaminants, and potentially different contaminants, than the sample tubes.

style="background:#FFD580;"!2

month=8	year=2021}}) |SN233|SN025|10464848-7|SN062|Atmospheric Gas	frameless|80px)Roubion (failed attempt of caching rock sample)	frameless	month=1	year=2023}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "4"	18.42767	globe:Mars}}|N/A|4.9x10−6 mol		URL=HTTPS://MARS.NASA.GOV/RESOURCES/26147/PERSEVERANCES-DRIVE-TO-CITADELLE	WEBSITE=NASA'S MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAM, en, |Attempted to sample a rock consisting of Basaltic lava flow or sandstone or Microgabbro but did not succeed, as they didn't reach the bit carousel and the caching system stored and sealed an empty tube. However, in this process, it collected atmospheric samples.

style="background:#FFD580;"!3

month=9

year=2021}}) |SN266|SN170|10464848-6

URL=HTTPS://MARS.NASA.GOV/MARS2020/MISSION/STATUS/328/KICKING-OFF-THE-SAMPLING-SOL-PATH-AT-CITADELLE/

WEBSITE=MARS.NASA.GOV, en, |Basalt (or possibly basaltic sandstone) Rock Sample

frameless|80px)Montdenier

frameless

month=1

year=2023}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "6"

18.43074

globe:Mars}}

5.98

in}}|1.2x10−6 mol|Arturby Ridge, Citadelle, South Séítah Unit

LAST2=JOHNSON

LAST3=AGLE

DATE=SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

WORK=NASA

ACCESS-DATE=SEPTEMBER 3, 2021, CHANG>FIRST=KENNETH

TITLE=ON MARS, NASA'S PERSEVERANCE ROVER DRILLED THE ROCKS IT CAME FOR – AFTER AN EARLIER DRILLING ATTEMPT FAILED TO COLLECT ANYTHING, THE ROVER APPEARED TO GATHER ITS FIRST SAMPLE. BUT MISSION MANAGERS NEED TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK BEFORE SEALING THE TUBE.

THE NEW YORK TIMES>URL=HTTPS://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2021/09/02/SCIENCE/MARS-ROVER-ROCKS.HTML

DATE=SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

WORK=THE NEW YORK TIMES

ACCESS-DATE=SEPTEMBER 8, 2021,

!4

month=9	year=2021}})|SN267|SN170|10464848-6		URL=HTTPS://MARS.NASA.GOV/MARS2020/MISSION/STATUS/332/A-HISTORIC-MOMENT-PERSEVERANCE-COLLECTS-SEALS-AND-STORES-ITS-FIRST-TWO-ROCK-SAMPLES/	WEBSITE=MARS.NASA.GOV, en, |Basalt (or possibly basaltic sandstone) Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Montagnac|	18.43074	globe:Mars}}	6.14	in}}|1.3x10−6 mol|Arturby Ridge, Citadelle, South Séítah Unit|Sampled from same rock as previous sample.

!5

month=11	year=2021}})|SN246|SN194|10464848-5		TITLE=A ROCK SO NICE, I SAMPLED IT TWICE! JUST CAPPED AND SEALED MY FIFTH SAMPLE TUBE, WITH ANOTHER PIECE FROM THIS INTER...	LANGUAGE=EN, November 24, 2021,	Cumulate rock#Oxide mineral cumulates>Olivine cumulate Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Salette|	18.43398	globe:Mars}}	6.28	in}}|1.1 x10−6 mol|Brac Outcrop, South Séítah Unit|

style="background:#FFD580;"!6

month=11	year=2021}}) |SN284|SN219|10464848-6|SN189	Cumulate rock#Oxide mineral cumulates>Olivine cumulate Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Coulettes	frameless	month=1	year=2023}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "5"	18.43398	globe:Mars}}	3.30	in}}|2.5 x10−6 mol|Brac Outcrop, South Séítah Unit|

!7

month=12	year=2021}}) |SN206|SN184|10464848-7|SN064	Cumulate rock#Oxide mineral cumulates>Olivine cumulate Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Robine|	18.43264	globe:Mars}}	6.08	in}}|1.0 x10−6 mol|Issole, South Séítah Unit|

style="background:#FFD580;"!8

month=12

year=2021}})

SN261

SN053

10464848-6

SN062

Olivine cumulate Rock Sample

frameless|80px)Pauls (Abandoned sample from this site due to Core Bit Dropoff.)

(File:6th Perseverance Rock Sample Malay at Three Forks Sample Depot.png

80px)December 21, 2022 (Sol {{Perseverance Mission Timer

day=21| year=2022}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "1"

Issole{{Coord

77.44134|globe:Mars}}|N/A|N/A

Issole, South Séítah Unit

Pebble-sized debris from the first sample fell into the bit carousel during transfer of the coring bit, which blocked the successful caching of the sample.MARS.NASA.GOV >TITLE=ASSESSING PERSEVERANCE'S SEVENTH SAMPLE COLLECTION

ACCESS-DATE=2022-03-08

LANGUAGE=EN, It was decided to abandon this sample and do a second sampling attempt again. Subsequent tests and measures cleared remaining samples in tube and debris in caching systemMARS.NASA.GOV >TITLE=PEBBLES BEFORE MOUNTAINS

ACCESS-DATE=2022-03-08

LANGUAGE=EN, MARS.NASA.GOV >TITLE=EJECTING MARS' PEBBLES

ACCESS-DATE=2022-03-08

LANGUAGE=EN, The tube was reused for second sample attempt, which was successful.It was the first sample tube to be deposited at a Sample Depot (in this case the depot is Three Forks).WEB, mars.nasa.gov, NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface,weblink 2022-12-22, NASA Mars Exploration, en, {{PD-notice}}

style="background:#FFD580;"!9

month=1	year=2022}})	frameless|80px)Malay (During Caching)	3.07	in}}|2.7 x10−6 mol

!10

month=3	year=2022}}) |SN262|SN172|10464848-6|SN129|Basaltic andesite Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Ha'ahóni (aka "Hahonih")|	18.45242	globe:Mars}}	6.50	in}}|0.98 x10−6mol	100|m}} east of Octavia E. Butler Landing), Séítah Unit|

style="background:#FFD580;"!11

month=3	year=2022}}) |SN202|SN168|10464848-4|SN074|Basaltic andesite Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Atsá (aka "Atsah")	frameless	month=1	year=2023}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "9"	18.45242	globe:Mars}}	6.00	in}}|1.3 x10−6 mol	100|m}} east of Octavia E. Butler Landing), Séítah Unit|

!12

month=7	year=2022}})|SN186|SN188|10464848-4|SN101|Clastic Sedimentary Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Swift Run|	18.40617	globe:Mars}}	6.69	in}}|1.23 x 10−6 mol|Skinner Ridge, Delta Front|First Deltaic and First sedimentary sample cached by Perseverance.

style="background:#FFD580;"!13

month=7	year=2022}})|SN272|SN192|10464848-6|SN068|Clastic Sedimentary Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Skyland	frameless	month=1	year=2023}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "8"	18.40617	globe:Mars}}	5.85	in}}|1.7 x 10−6 mol|Skinner Ridge, Delta Front|

!14

month=7	year=2022}}) |SN205|SN119|10464848-6|SN170 |Witness Tube (Empty)	frameless|80px)WB2||N/A|N/A|2.7 x 10−6 mol		TITLE=@CHIRAGP87233561 BE CAREFUL WITH NAMES. THE WITNESS TUBE WAS NOT SAMPLED AT 'SKINNER RIDGE'. SKINNER RIDGE IS THE N..., November 4, 2022, Delta Front|This may have been done to clean out any leftover debris during the previous sampling attempts. On sol 495, a string-like piece of foreign object debris (FOD) similar to materials released during EDL was observed in the workspace images. On sol 499 this object was no longer observed, presumably because it blew out of the scene. This observation suggests the possibility of FOD in tubes sealed in this general area.

!15

month=7	year=2022}})|SN172|SN157|10464848-7|SN099|Fine grained, well-sorted sedimentary rock sample, sulphate-bearing coarse mudstone	frameless|80px)Hazeltop|	18.40589	globe:Mars}}	5.97	in}}|1.63 x 10−6 mol|Wildcat Ridge, Delta Front|

style="background:#FFD580;"!16

month=8	year=2022}})|SN259|SN177|10464848-5|SN110	Fine grained, well-sorted sedimentary rock sample, sulphate-bearing coarse mudstone	frameless|80px)Bearwallow	frameless	month=1	year=2023}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "7"	18.40589	globe:Mars}}	6.24	in}}|1.43 x 10−6 mol|Wildcat Ridge, Delta Front|

!17

month=10	year=2022}})|SN264|SN068|10464848-5|SN085	Fine grained, well-sorted sedimentary rock, olivine-bearing coarse mudstone	frameless|80px)Shuyak|	77.40144	globe:Mars}}	5.55	in}}|1.73 x 10−6 mol|Amalik outcrop, Delta Front|

style="background:#FFD580;"!18

month=10	year=2022}}) – November 16, 2022 (Sol {{Perseverance Mission Timer	day=16|year=2022}})|SN184|SN587|10464848-4|SN030|Fine grained, well-sorted sedimentary rock, olivine-bearing coarse mudstone	frameless|80px)Mageik	frameless	month=12	year=2022}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "2"	Amalik outcrop{{Coord	18.45073|globe:Mars}}	7.36	in}}|0.63 x 10−6 mol	Amalik outcrop, Delta Front|The anomaly first appeared on Oct 5 after the successful coring of the mission's 14th sample, called "Mageik," when the seal assigned to cap the rock-core-filled sample tube did not release as expected from its dispenser.The process of sealing a sample happens in the rover's Sampling and Caching System. During sealing, a small robotic arm moves the rock-core-filled tube to one of seven dispensers and presses its open end against a waiting seal. On the 17 previous occasions when a sample tube had been sealed during the mission, the seal was pressed fully into the tube. That allowed the seal to be extracted from the dispenser and the arm to move the seal-tube combination to a different station where they are pressed together, creating a hermetic seal. However, when the sample handling system attempted to dispense a seal in the tube of the Mageik sample, the seal encountered too much resistance and did not come free. The sampling system automatically detected the lack of seal and stored the unsealed tube safely so the tube and sample hardware remain in a stable configuration.One of the possible causes of the seal's nondeployment may be that Martian dust adhered to a location on the tube's interior surface where the dust could impede successful coupling and extraction. To ensure a hermetic seal, the tolerances between tube and seal are, by necessity, extremely small: 0.00008 inches (0.002 mm). The rover's CacheCam captured images showing light deposits of dust on the tube's lip, but the camera's imaging capabilities along the tube's inner surface are quite limited.Sealing which was tried again and again was finally completed on November 16, 2022 (Sol {{Perseverance Mission Timer|month=10|day=16|year=2022}}) successfully.WEB, mars.nasa.gov, Sealing Sample 14 – NASA,weblink 2022-11-24, mars.nasa.gov, en,

style="background:#FFD580;"!19

month=10	year=2022}})|SN188|SN153|10464848-5|SN073|Witness Tube (Empty)	frameless|80px)WB3	frameless	month=01	year=2023}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "10"|N/A|N/A|2.31 x 10−6 mol	month=10	year=2022}}) and placed into storage on October 19, 2022(Sol {{Perseverance Mission Timer	day=19		URL=HTTPS://MARS.NASA.GOV/MARS2020/MISSION/STATUS/415/PERSEVERANCE-ACTIVITIES-AT-AMALIK-OUTCROP/	WEBSITE=MARS.NASA.GOV, en,

!20

month=11	year=2022}}) – November 29, 2022(Sol {{Perseverance Mission Timer	day=29|year=2022}})|SN242|SN151|10464848-5|SN113|Fine grained, moderately-sorted sedimentary rock, sulphate-bearing coarse sandstone	frameless|80px)Kukaklek|	globe:Mars}}	4.97	in}}|1.78 x 10−6 mol|Hidden Harbor, Delta Front	month=11	year=2022}})

!21

month=12	year=2022}})|SN059|SN098|10464848-5|SN063|Regolith Sand Sample, likely containing mixed sedimentary and igneous grains	frameless|80px)Atmo Mountain|	77.40122	globe:Mars}}	5.30	in}}|1.87 x 10−6 mol|Observation Mountain, Delta Front|First Regolith Sample.

style="background:#FFD580;"!22

month=12	year=2022}})|SN173|SN191|10464848-6|SN106|Regolith Sand Sample, likely containing mixed sedimentary and igneous grains	frameless|80px)Crosswind Lake	frameless	month=12	year=2022}}) at Three Forks Sample Spot "3"	77.40122	globe:Mars}}	5.30	in}}|1.88 x 10−6 mol|Observation Mountain, Delta Front|

!23

month=3	year=2023}})|SN214|SN066|1064848-5|SN150|Sedimentary Rock Sample	frameless|80px)Melyn|	77.383946	globe:Mars}}	6.04	in}}||Berea, Tenby, Upper Fan|First Sample taken after completion of sample depot and the first taken under the new mission campaign.

!24

month=5

year=2023}})

SN094

10464848-3

Conglomerate Sedimentary Rock Sample|N/A (Abandoned sample from this site due to small sample collection.)

Onahu outcrop{{Coord

18.433455|globe:Mars}}

1.30

in}} (Non-Cached)|N/A

Onahu, Upper Fan

The first attempt yielded a sample that was unfortunately too small, and the second attempt was unsuccessful and caching would have resulted in another empty Roubion atmospheric sample tube.A conglomerate rock is of special interest to the Science Team because they are made up of many clasts of rocks. These distinct clasts become cemented together over time to form the conglomerate. Importantly, these clasts were likely transported to Jezero crater from much farther away. Analyzing the distinct clasts and cements captured in a sample of the conglomerate would give insights into where these materials were sourced, how far they traveled, and what the martian environment was like, both when the clasts first formed and when the conglomerate rock formed.

!25

month=6	year=2023}}) |N/A (Abandoned after failed attempt of collecting rock sample)|N/A|N/A

!26

month=6	year=2023}})|Otis Peak	77.368179	globe:Mars}}	5.77	in}}||Emerald Lake, Upper Fan

!27

month=9	year=2023}})|SN258|SN451|10464848-4|SN196|Pilot Mountain ||Dream Lake	6.00	in}}||Dream Lake, Upper Fan|

!28

month=9	year=2023}})|||||Sedimentary Rock Sample|Pelican Point ||Hans Amundsen Memorial Workspace	6.10	in}}||Hans Amundsen Memorial Workspace, Margin Unit|

!29

month=10	year=2023}})|||||Sedimentary Rock Sample|Lefroy Bay ||Turquoise Bay	4.70	in}}||Turquoise Bay, Margin Unit|

!30

month=3	year=2024}})||||	Silica-Cementation (geology)>cemented Carbonate|Comet Geyser ||Bunsen Peak	5.78	in}}||Bunsen Peak, Margin Unit|

Sources:MARS.NASA.GOV >TITLE=PERSEVERANCE ROVER MARS ROCK SAMPLES

ACCESS-DATE=2022-06-15

LANGUAGE=EN, MARS 2020 INITIAL REPORTS CRATER FLOOR CAMPAIGN>URL=HTTPS://PDS-GEOSCIENCES.WUSTL.EDU/MISSIONS/MARS2020/MARS%202020%20INITIAL%20REPORTS%201-10%20AUGUST%202022.PDF, MARS 2020 INITIAL REPORTS VOLUME 2 DELTA FRONT CAMPAIGN FEBRUARY 15, 2023 >URL=HTTPS://PDS-GEOSCIENCES.WUSTL.EDU/MISSIONS/MARS2020/MARS%202020%20INITIAL%20REPORTS%20VOLUME%202%20RELEASE%202.PDF, MARS 2020 INITIAL REPORTS VOLUME 1 CRATER FLOOR CAMPAIGN AUGUST 11, 2022 >URL=HTTPS://PDS-GEOSCIENCES.WUSTL.EDU/MISSIONS/MARS2020/MARS%202020%20INITIAL%20REPORTS%20VOLUME%201%20RELEASE%202.2.PDF, MARS 2020 RETURNED SAMPLE SCIENCE ARCHIVE >URL=HTTPS://PDS-GEOSCIENCES.WUSTL.EDU/MISSIONS/MARS2020/RETURNED_SAMPLE_SCIENCE.HTM

WEBSITE=PDS-GEOSCIENCES.WUSTL.EDU, HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/DEJASU/STATUS/1584449741588688896/PHOTO/1 >TITLE=I HAD A LIST I WAS WORKING ON, COMBINED IT WITH THE NASA WEBSITE CHART

WEBSITE=TWITTER, en,

Sample and Depot Overview

{{Progress meter|current=27|moz=yes|goal=43|grad=no|display=yes|comment1=Samples Tubes Cached|percent=yes|width=100%|bordercolor=black|fontcolor1=black|fontcolor2=black|background2=SkyBlue|height=20}}{{Progress meter|current=10|moz=yes|goal=10|grad=no|display=yes|comment1=Samples Tubes Left at Three Forks Sample Depot|percent=yes|width=100%|bordercolor=black|fontcolor1=black|fontcolor2=black|background2=SkyBlue|height=20}}

Type Of Cached Samples

{{Pie chart| caption= Samples By Type|radius=125| label1 = Witness (3)| value1 = 11.11| label2 = Atmospheric (1)| value2 = 3.70| label3 = Igneous (8)| value3 = 29.63| label4 = Sedimentary (12)| value4 = 44.44| label5= Regolith (2)| value5 = 7.40| thumb = none| label6= Silica-cemented Carbonate (1)| value6 = 3.70}}

Drilled Holes

{{tall image|All drilled holes on mars by perseverance.png|300|300|All Drilled Holes On Mars By Perseverance (except Atsá sample) (Scrollable image)|none}}

Sample Depot at Three Forks

(File:Mars Sample Depot at 3 forks.png|none|thumb|Mars Sample Depot at 3 forks|400px)

Three Forks Sample Depot

After nearly a Martian year of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover's science and sample caching operations for MSR campaign, the rover is currently tasked to deposit ten samples that it has cached from beginning at Three Forks Sample Depot as NASA aims to eventually return them to Earth starting from December 19, 2022. This depot will serve as a backup spot, in case Perseverance cannot deliver its samples. Perseverance is depositing the samples at a relatively flat terrain known as Three Forks so that NASA and ESA could recover them in its successive missions in the MSR campaign. It is even selected as the backup landing spot for the Sample Retrieval Lander. It is a relatively benign place. It is as flat and smooth as a table top.(File:1-PIA25676 Testing a Sample Drop in the Mars Yard.gif|left|thumb|Testing a Sample Drop in the Mars Yard with VSTB OPTIMISM Rover)Perseverance's complex Sampling and Caching System takes almost an hour to retrieve the metal tube from inside the rover's belly, view it one last time with its internal Cachecam, and drop the sample ~{{cvt|0.89|m}} onto a carefully selected patch of Martian surface.File:PIA25361-MarsPerseveranceRover-WindLiftsDustCloud-20210618.gif|thumb|Mars Perseverance rover – wind lifts a massive dust cloud (June 18, 2021)]]The tubes will not be piled up at a single spot. Instead, each tube-drop location will have an "area of operation" ~{{cvt|5.5|m}} in diameter. To that end, the tubes will be deposited on the surface in an intricate zigzag pattern of 10 spots for 10 tubes, with each sample ~{{cvt|5|m}} to ~{{cvt|15|m}} apart from one another near the proposed Sample retrieval lander's landing site. There are various reasons for this plan, most significantly the design of the sample recovery helicopters. They are designed to interact with only one tube at a time. Alongside, they will perform takeoffs and landings, and driving in that spot. To ensure a helicopter could retrieve samples without any problem, the plan is to be executed properly and would span over more than two months.(File:PIA25290 Perseverance Views Dust Devils Swirling Across Jezero Crater.gif|thumb|Perseverance Views Dust Devils Swirling Across Jezero Crater)Before and after Perseverance drops each tube, mission controllers will review a multitude of images from the rover's SHERLOC WATSON camera. Images by the SHERLOC WATSON camera are also used to check for surety that the tube had not rolled into the path of the rover's wheels. They also look to ensure the tube had not landed in such a way that it was standing on its end (each tube has a flat end piece called a "glove" to make it easier to be picked up by future missions). That occurred less than 5% of the time during testing with Perseverance's Earthly twin OPTIMISM in JPL's Mars Yard. In case it does happen on Mars, the mission has written a series of commands for Perseverance to carefully knock the tube over with part of the turret at the end of its robotic arm.(File:PIA25678 An Updated Map of Perseverance's Depot Samples.jpg|thumb|A Map of Perseverance's Sample Depots)These SHERLOC WATSON camera images will also give the Mars Sample Return team the precise data necessary to locate the tubes in the event of the samples becoming covered by dust or sand before they are collected. Mars does get windy, but not like on Earth, as the atmosphere on Mars is 100 times less dense than that of Earth's atmosphere, so winds on Mars can pick up speed (the fastest are Dust devils), but they don't pick up a lot of dust particles. Martian wind can certainly lift fine dust and leave it on surfaces, but even if significant dust is accumulated these images the depositing pattern will help to recover them back.TWEET, Mars does get windy, but not like on Earth. The atmosphere here is much less dense: about 1/100th that of Earth's. Winds around here can pick up *speed,* but they don't pick up a lot of *stuff.* Think fast, but not strong., 1606429871152197632, NASAPersevere, December 23, 2022, February 7, 2023, A lucky encounter with a dust devil could remove dust over the samples as in case with the solar panels of Spirit rover and Opportunity rover.Once this whole task of depositing all the 10 samples is completed, Perseverance will carry on with its mission, traversing to the Crater floor and scaling Delta's summit. The rover be traversing along the edge of the crater and probably, caching more tubes then whilst following the plan of taking single sample at one rock. Till now, several pairs of samples were taken and one samples from pair will be placed at the depot and the other pair will stay on board the rover.WEB, Foust, Jeff, December 18, 2022, Perseverance prepares to deposit Mars sample cache,weblink 2022-12-22, SpaceNews, en-US, WEB, mars.nasa.gov, NASA's Perseverance Rover to Begin Building Martian Sample Depot,weblink 2022-12-22, NASA Mars Exploration, en,

Sample retrieval

The Mars Sample Return mission earlier in its design process consisted of the ESA Sample Fetch Rover and its associated second lander, alongside the Mars ascent vehicle and its lander that will take the samples to it, from where the samples will be launched back to Earth. But after consideration and cost overruns, it was decided that given Perseverance{{'s}} expected longevity, the extant rover will be the primary means of transporting samples to the Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL).

Sample Retrieval Lander

The sample retrieval mission involves launching a 5-solar array sample return lander in 2028 with the Mars Ascent Vehicle and two sample recovery helicopters as a backup for Perseverance. The SRL lander is about the size of an average two-car garage weighing ~{{cvt|3375|kg}}; tentatively planned to be {{cvt|7.7|m|ft}} wide and {{cvt|2.1|m|ft}} high when fully deployed. The payload mass of the lander is double that of the Perseverance rover, that is, ~{{cvt|563|kg}}. The lander needs to be close to the Perseverance rover to facilitate the transfer of Mars samples. It must land within {{cvt|60|m}} of its target site – much closer than previous Mars rovers and landers. Thus, it will have a secondary battery to power the lander to land on Mars. The lander would take advantage of an enhanced version of NASA's successful Terrain Relative Navigation that helped land Perseverance safely. The new Enhanced Lander Vision System would, among other improvements, add a second camera, an altimeter, and better capabilities to use propulsion for precision landing. It is planned to land near at Three Forks in 2029. (File:ESA Sample Transfer arm.png|thumb|left|ESA Sample Transfer Arm)The Mars 2020 rover and helicopters will transport the samples to the SRL lander. SRL's ESA-built ~{{cvt|2.40|m|ft}} long, Sample Transfer Arm will be used to extract the samples and load them into the Sample Return Capsule in the Ascent Vehicle.WEB, mars.nasa.gov, Sample Retrieval Lander – NASA,weblink 2023-01-08, mars.nasa.gov, en,

Mars Sample Recovery Helicopters

The MSR campaign includes Ingenuity-class helicopters, both of which will collect the samples with the help of a tiny robotic arm and move them to the SRL, in case the Perseverance rover runs into problems.

Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV)

factoids

GEBHARDT DATE=JUNE 4, 2021 URL=HTTPS://WWW.NASASPACEFLIGHT.COM/2021/06/MARS-ASCENT-VEHICLE-UPDATE/ WEBSITE=NASASPACEFLIGHT.COM, en-US, | country-origin = United States| pcost = 2.26ft}}0.5ft}}450|kg}}|capacities =

factoids

| kilos = {{cvt|500|g}}
}}| status = Under Development