Lockheed Martin Proposes Low-Cost Mars Sample Return to Sustain NASA Mission

NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission (MSR), designed to bring Martian samples collected by the Perseverance rover back to Earth, faces potential cancellation due to high costs estimated at $11 billion. Lockheed Martin has proposed a budget-friendly alternative using a smaller lander based on its InSight lander design, aiming to reduce costs to under $3 billion by leveraging existing spacecraft technology and a commercial approach focused on simplicity and risk management. Alongside Lockheed Martin, private firms like Rocket Lab are also proposing more affordable missions to retrieve Martian samples. These efforts are aligned with the broader U.S. goal of landing humans on Mars, a complex endeavor that would further advance the analysis of Martian materials. Complementing sample return efforts, the proposed M-MATISSE mission by the European Space Agency would deploy two orbiters to study Mars' magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere, providing critical space weather data to prepare for human exploration. Together, these initiatives reflect a multifaceted approach to unlocking Mars' mysteries and setting the stage for future crewed missions.