space
NASA will soon find out if the Perseverance rover can really persevere on Mars
Engineers at JPL are certifying the Perseverance rover to drive up to 100 kilometers.
TL;DR
- NASA's Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission is facing significant delays and cost overruns, with projected costs ballooning to $11 billion.
- Launch dates for the MSR mission have been pushed back from the original 2026-2028 target to the 2030s.
- The Perseverance rover is in excellent health and capable of operating for many more years, having already exceeded its expected mileage.
- Perseverance has collected 33 titanium sample tubes, some of which have been cached on Mars, while others are still on board.
- China is preparing its own Mars sample-return mission, Tianwen-3, for launch as early as 2028.
- NASA is exploring alternative, lower-cost commercial concepts for the MSR mission.
- The future of MSR remains uncertain due to budget decisions and political considerations.