Mars Sample Return Science Continues Despite Budget Uncertainty

NASA's Perseverance rover has collected 26 of its 43 sample tubes on Mars, with 20 containing rock cores and 2 containing regolith. The rover is currently climbing up a river delta and scientists are planning the next phases of the rover's traverse, including heading to the crater rim for an "incredible diversity" of rocks. NASA is conducting a review of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) architecture, including the schedule and design of the mission, and is expected to release its revised plans by April. The mission is considered a top scientific priority by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and has been planned for decades. The mission has several compelling reasons to bring samples back from Mars, including advancing our understanding of the Red Planet's geological history, potential habitability, and processes that shape planets.

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