Designing a box to return samples from mars astrobiology. The purpose of this conference is to establish a better understanding of the options for a possible international mars sample return campaign in the next decade, given the 2018 context, to highlight recent. A nasa launch will send the sample return lander mission to land a platform near the mars 2020 site. Returned samples will increase the knowledge of the properties of martian soil and contribute significantly to answering questions about the possibility of life on the red planet. Mars sample return backward contamination european space. Mars sample return msr is a mission proposed by nasa that currently has no launch date for the crucial return section of the mission. Nasa and the european space agency esa are solidifying concepts for a mars sample return mission after nasas mars 2020 rover collects rock and soil samples, storing them in sealed tubes on the planets surface. Key technologies for mars sample return science potential for improved acceptance soyuz launch, 700 800 kg landed mass lunar applications for dlr, to be finished by nov 2007 future lunar lander, ariane5 launch, 2700 kg landed mass demonstrator concept further evaluated for msr next small lunar lander. International committee against mars sample return icamsr is an organization to increase public awareness of the mars sample return msr and other sample return projects. A mars sample return msr mission is the highest priority science mission for the next decade recommended by the recent decadal survey of planetary science, the key community input process that guides nasas science missions. Mars sample return terminal rendezvous statebased fault. Mars sample return mission and planetary protection background l l l policy, while also providing guidelines to spacefaring nations.
In turn, the lander contained a descent and ascent vehicles, while the orbiter carried an earthreturn vehicle. Site selection and sample acquisition study, jpl 71523, volumes ix, mars science working group mars sample return study effort, nasa jet propulsion. Planetary protection aims to prevent biological contamination of both the target celestial body and the earthin the case of samplereturn missions. Pdf bilateral discussions between nasa and the european space agency identified the orbiter element as a promising europeanled. Longrange rovers for mars exploration and sample return joe c. The mars sample return mission is an essential step with respect to future exploration goals and the prospect of establishing a future human mission to mars. February 10, 2020 this illustration of a mars sample return missions lander concept shows a spacecraft after touchdown on the red planet. The mission would use robotic systems and a mars ascent rocket to collect and send samples of martian rocks, soils and atmosphere to earth for detailed chemical and physical analysis. Beaty and others published preliminary planning for an international mars sample return mission. A mars sample return mission msr would be a spaceflight mission to collect rock and dust samples from mars and to return them to earth.
Nasas next mars rover will collect and store samples of martian soil. It would need to return these samples in a controlled way to maintain the samples scienti. Mars sample return lander touchdown artists concept. Sample return would be a very powerful type of exploration, because analysis is freed from the time, budget, and space constraints of spacecraft sensors.
Visit the national academies press online, the authoritative source for all books from the national academy of sciences, the national academy of engineering, the institute of. The jplled joint jpljsc mars rover sample return mrsr study team completed its prephase a study in september 1988. Sample return from mars offers the promise of data from martian materials that have previously only been available from meteorites. Pdf preliminary planning for an international mars sample return. A key challenges of mars sample return is to develop the technologies which will allow the safe handlingmovement, analysis and curation of planetary protection category v, restricted samples from mars 1. The search for life on mars a photo timeline on earth, we can literally slice up a sample in. Recently, nasa and jpl have been studying the possibility of a mars sample return some time in the next decade of mars. In this illustration of a mars sample return mission concept, a lander carrying a fetch rover touches down on the surface of mars. Parrish nasa headquarters abstract this paper discusses longrange rovers to be flown as part of nasas newly reformulated mars exploration program mep. Planning considerations for mars sample return containment. Mars mission could return samples to earth by 2020.
A mission to retrieve martian rock and soil samples is under development by an international mars sample return msr design team managed by jpl. A redundant, failsafe containment procedure with a method for veri. Because of the key role envisaged for sample return in exobiological exploration, and the fundamental scientific importance of resolving the question of whether life ever arose on mars, it seemed appropriate to include a summary of the groups findings 1 in the report of. The potential science and engineering value of samples. The successful landing of the curiosity rover on august 6, 2012 was the latest in a series of science technological and scientific triumphs of nasas mars exploration program. The imost team has also undertaken to define the measurements and the types of samples that can best address the objectives. Still probably many years in the future and most likely international in nature, a mars samplereturn mission is one of the most challenging space ventures possible for robotic exploration a robust, multifunctional sample container is an essential. Mars sample return backward contamination strategic advice and requirements 5 1. The 2nd international mars sample return conference is scheduled to take place over 2. No sample has yet been returned with alien life in it. Planning for mars sample return as part of the planning for future mars sample return, a mars sample quarantine protocol workshop was held to develop preliminary guidelines for returned sample containment and quarantine analysis devincenzi, et ai. This spherical container has been engineered to house the most scientifically valuable cargo imaginable.
Mars mars 2020 mars sample return missions esa awards mars sample return study contracts as international cooperation plans take shape by jeff foust july 8, 2018. Mars sample return precursor missions prephase a mission. The level of scientific and public interest increased measurably during the summer of 1996 with the announcement that a naturally conveyed sample, namely, a martian meteorite found on earth, contained circumstantial evidence of possible prior life on mars. Langley research centers msr earth entry vehicle eev is a core part of the mission, protecting the sample container during atmospheric entry, descent, and landing. Mars sample return msr architecture and mission engineering, led by boeing for jpl, is presented. Return of carefully selected samples may yield more information about the history of water and possible. Engineering the earth return orbiter concept for a potential mars sample return campaign jakob huesing1, orson sutherland1, kelly geelen1, sanjay vijendran1, jorge alves1, charles d. Mars sample return lander with solar panels deployed. The teams approach to bringing mars samples to earth raised eyebrows, for. The mars sample return campaign involves collecting geological samples on the surface of mars and launching a small sample container into orbit for autonomous rendezvous and capture by a sample return orbiter. The multimission sample return campaign relies critically on this autonomous event, implying the need for robust fault protection. With its solar planels fully deployed, the spacecraft is ready to begin surface operations.
Mars sample return is the highest priority science mission for the next. Key technologies for mars sample return science potential for improved acceptance soyuz launch, 700 800 kg landed mass lunar applications for dlr, to be finished by nov 2007 future lunar lander, ariane5 launch, 2700 kg landed mass demonstrator concept further. Unless the sample to be returned is subjected to an accepted and approved sterilization process, the sample container must be sealed after sample acquisition. It would need to return these samples in a controlled way to maintain the sample s scienti. Pdf chemical propulsion systems for mars sample return. Nasa and esa invite individuals to apply for membership in a new mars sample return science planning group phase 2 mspg2 committee. Abstract a mars sample return msr mission is a goal of the mars program. The next 20 years of mars exploration hinges on where this rover goes, says philip christensen, a planetary scientist at arizona state. If approved at cm19, the mars sample return campaign is expected to form the bulk of. It would be the first ever sample return from mars. Mars sample return backward contamination strategic advice and requirements. There has long been great interest in returning samples from solar system bodies, especially mars.
Preliminary planning for an international mars sample. Report from the esfessc study group on msr planetary. A samplereturn from mars or other location with potential to host life, is a category v mission under cospar which directs to containment of any unsterilized sample returned to earth. Mars sample return is conceptual in nature and is subject to nasa. These rovers are currently scheduled for launch first in 2007 as part of a joint science and. Planetary protection mars sample return receiving facility. Introduction the mars sample return msr mission, scheduled for launches in 2003 and 2005, is an ambitious plan to collect sets of scientifically valuable samples from two different sites on mars. A third launch from earth would provide a spacecraft sent to orbit mars and rendezvous with the. The space agencies are working on a series of missions designed.
National research council regarded mars samplereturn as the highestpriority bigbudget future nasa mission in its 20 decadal survey for planetary science. A sample receiving facility msrf has often been envisaged for this purpose 2, 3. Longrange rovers for mars exploration and sample return. An efficient approach for mars sample return using. From here, a small esa rover the sample fetch rover will head out to retrieve the cached samples. Indeed, most scientists regard samplereturn as the best way to look for signs of life on mars. Umland2, bassem nairouz2 1european space agencyestec, the netherlands jakob. Nasa and esa to work on mars sample return unexplained. Personnel will be selected on experience in organizing and managing largescale collaborative scientific activities, involvement in one or more sample return planning. In this case, the sampling rover would carry an integrated mav with it, eliminating. Mspg2 will address msr science and curation planning questions as requested by nasa and esa. Icamsr is opposed to bringing back mars and other interstellar samples directly to the earth that may contain potentially biohazardous microorganisms and bacteria which may threaten earths biosphere. Mars sample return backward contamination strategic. Red dragon mars samplereturn mission could launch by.
Introduction the mars sample return msr mission, scheduled for launches in 2003 and 2005, is an ambitious plan to collect sets of scientifically valuable samples from. A twopart mars sample return spacecraft proposed around 2008 consisted of a mars orbiter and a mars lander. Overview of the mars sample return earth entry vehicle. The first martian samples are collected and launched into low mars orbit in 2004. The study sought credible data to support planning a 2011 mission to return 500 g of. Selecting mars samples to return to earthmars sample. Nasas mars sample return msr project will bring mars surface and atmosphere samples back to earth for detailed examination.
The mars sample return msr concept is a campaign of three missions. It would use robots on the surface to collect samples of rocks, soils and atmosphere, and an ascent rocket to return them to earth for detailed analysis figure 1. Alternatively, all the pieces needed for mars samplereturn could be lofted in a single shot, the report says. Participants at the workshop included representatives of government agencies, academic. Mars sample return is a proposed mission to return samples from the surface of mars to earth.