The U.S. may not beat China at retrieving Martian rocks first, according to an independent review board’s conclusion. But the U.S. can still lead with an exchange of samples here on Earth
In September NASA’s Mars Sample Return independent review board , led by the agency’s former “Mars czar” Orlando Figueroa, released findings and recommendations about the MSR project, a collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency that means to return the first samples from the Red Planet. The IRB members did a terrific job analyzing, in their words, the “near zero probability” of its current plans and budget succeeding.
In other words: back to the drawing board. If NASA and ESA continue with MSR , then a more robust plan involving the collection of more samples and including additional hardware must be devised. This plan would stretch well into the 2030s. The panel also noted China’s development of its own, much simpler Mars sample-return mission for 2028 or 2030, which is likely to bring samples back to Earth several years before the NASA-ESA mission returns. This need not be a negative.
Examining each other’s samples poses no conceivable strategic threat to either country—the likelihood of a microscopic secret inside a Martian rock helping either nation in their military or economic competition is around zero. But cooperating on this Martian investigation could build up a benign and positive scientific relationship that would serve both countries. It would add to our exploration of Mars, and there are no downsides to advancing China’s exploration of Mars.
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