Mars Sample Return overview
Mars Sample Return is a multi-step international effort to bring carefully collected Martian rock and soil samples to Earth for comprehensive laboratory analysis. The campaign involves coordinated missions for collection, ascent, rendezvous, and return.
Typical campaign components:
- Robotic landers and rovers collect, document, and cache samples in sealed containers.
- A fetch or rendezvous mission would retrieve cached samples and launch them from Mars.
- An Earth return vehicle performs interplanetary transfer and safely delivers samples to terrestrial labs.
Scientific payoff and safeguards
- Earth labs provide far greater analytical power than spacecraft instruments, enabling definitive tests for organics and biosignatures.
- Planetary protection protocols govern containment and handling to prevent contamination of both Earth and Mars.
This complex program requires multiple launches, international collaboration, and strict sample handling to maximize scientific return while protecting planetary environments.