This company offers broken prices to avoid abandonment of the NASA project

The Mission Mars Sample Return (MSR). Therefore, one of the most ambitious projects ever envisaged by NASA, could never see the light of day. Additionally, Therefore, Consistent by budgetary realities and changing political priorities, the mission is today at the crossroads. Consequently, But a new scenario could restore hope: Lockheed Martin. Nevertheless, giant of the aerospace, offers a simplified and half cheaper version of the project, with the ambition to bring back to earth the precious Martian samples collected by the Rover Perseverance.

A scientific mission on the edge of the abyss – This company offers broken prices

Conceived as a large -scale international collaboration. Therefore, the MSR mission was to collect and report samples of Martian rocks to analyze them in land laboratories. Similarly, Objective: to understand the geology of Mars, to reconstruct its hydrological past, and perhaps detect traces of ancient life.

The Rover Perseverance, currently at work on Mars, plays the role of the collector. Nevertheless, He drills, takes, and stores samples in tubes which he methodically places on the surface. Similarly, The rest of the plan was to send another landing, equipped with a secondary rover, to recover these tubes. Similarly, A small rocket – the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) – Then put them in Martian orbit. For example, where a third orbital machine would intercept them and bring them back to earth.

But this plan, of unprecedented technological complexity, quickly saw its cost explode. Moreover, Estimated at more than $ 7 billion, it is now in the viewfinder of the budget cuts imposed by the US administration. Therefore, The abandonment of Russian participation, due to the war in Ukraine, has further weakened the balance of the program. In parallel. NASA was ordered to refocus its efforts this company offers broken prices on the flights inhabited to the Moon and Mars, relegating certain robotic projects to the background.

Lockheed Martin Endre a scourn – This company offers broken prices

In this uncertain context. Lockheed Martin offers a radically different plan: a simplified version of the MSR, based on proven technologies and a cost divided by two. His idea? Rely on its 50 years of experience in planetary exploration to re -imagine the mission around lighter. smaller and therefore much less expensive components to launch.

Rather than reinventing complex devices. Lockheed offers to reuse an architecture similar to that of the Insight module – which it has already built for Mars – as the basis of the landing. The MAV rocket would be resized to weigh between 250. 300 kg, capable of transporting approximately 5 kg of Martian samples, the quantity currently collected by Perseverance.

The atmospheric back -to -school system – which must bring this company offers broken prices the samples back to earth without contaminating. losing them – would also be revised downwards. Inspired by the return missions of interstellar materials (Genesis. Stardust, Osiris-Rex), he would use composite materials and an ultra-light thermal shield, designed specifically for the start of the Martian orbit.

Finally. Lockheed would also take care of the cruise floor responsible for sending the whole until March, integrating the navigation, propulsion and power functions. Another major advantage of the proposal: the contract would be at a fixed price. with Lockheed absorbing any excess cost, a strong argument in a context of high pressure on public finances.

Between scientific ambition and budgetary pragmatism

This new plan is not unanimous. Some scientists fear that this “minimalist” version will compromise the quantity. quality of the reported samples, even the reliability of the mission itself. Others. on the contrary, see it as a realistic way to save the essentials of a project that simply risked being canceled.

Lockheed Martin. for his part, ensures that he can respect both technical constraints, security requirements (including sterility of the return capsule to avoid interplanetary contamination), and tight deadlines that would allow the shooting windows to Mars planned in the second half of the decade.

According to Whitley Poyser. director of distant space exploration at Lockheed Martin, ” MSR remains one of the most precious missions ever envisaged for planetary science. And thanks to our know-how. we are convinced that we can carry this company offers broken prices it out within the limits of a responsible budget. »

A turning point for Martian exploration?

Through this proposal, a whole philosophy of spatial exploration is at stake. Should we maintain ambitious projects at all costs, at the risk of seeing them scratched? Or is it better to adapt them to budgetary reality, even if it means reducing their initial scientific scope?

In the case of March Sample Return. the answer will undoubtedly come in the coming months, when NASA makes public its final decision. Be that as it may. the fate of this historic mission is now in the hands of decision -makers, torn between Martian dream and financial rigor.