The Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future, and NASA is calling on private companies for backup

By Chris Impey, University of Arizona

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.

The mission

You are viewing a robot-friendly page.Click hereto reload in standard format.