NASA & ESA form 16-membered team to develop ideas for retrieving samples from Mars

NASA, along with its partner European Space Agency (ESA), has announced the formation of a 16-membered Mars Sample Return Campaign Science Group. As the name suggests, this group will consist of scientists who will work toward a safe retrieval of the samples which is being collected by the Perseverance rover on Mars. "The 16 researchers will function as a science resource for the campaign’s project teams as well as for related Earth-based ground projects, such as sample recovery and curation", NASA said in a statement.

Michael Meyer, Mars Exploration Program lead scientist said that this group will be responsible for designing the roadmap including establishing the processes for sample-related decision-making and developing the procedures so as to include the entire scientific community in the mission.

"NASA’s Mars Sample Return Campaign promises to revolutionize humanity’s understanding of Mars by bringing scientifically selected samples to Earth for study using the most sophisticated instruments around the world", the agency said in a statement.

When will the Mars samples be brought to Earth?

The mission to retrieve the Mars samples collected by Perseverance will be launched in 2028 and the contents from the red planet will arrive on Earth no earlier than the early to mid-2030s. The launch from Earth was initially scheduled for 2026 but NASA and ESA announced a delay as the agencies are now planning to develop a new idea to increase the mission's success and safe retrieval. 

Interestingly, the process of sample return from Mars would involve the first-ever rocket launch on another planet. Under the Mars Sample Return campaign, the agencies have planned to send a lander and an Earth Return Orbiter to Mars which would be used to bring back the collected samples. Once the lander touches down near Perseverance, the samples would be transferred from Perseverance to a new rover before loading them into a rocket named the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). This rocket would then launch from the lander carrying the samples to ESA's orbiter waiting in the Martian orbit. This orbiter, once fitted with the sample container would then head back to Earth.