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NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission is dead

456 points · 391 comments · Muhammad523

  1. jumploops · · focus · HN ↗
    I worked on (a very small part of) the ExoMars rover (now called the Rosalind Franklin[0]).

    It was supposed to launch in 2018, then was pushed to the early 2020s on a Russian rocket. For obvious reasons, it got pushed again, now launching in 2028.

    The state of the world isn't great for space exploration, but I'm hopeful this mission will be revived at some point in the future.

    [0]<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Rosalind_Franklin_(rover)" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Rosalind_Franklin_(rover)

    1. fireflymetavrse · · focus · HN ↗
      Beyond earth orbit launches actually is not that low [1]. MSR has a long history of revival and cancellation.

      [1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;spacestatsonline.com&#x2F;launches&#x2F;beo" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;spacestatsonline.com&#x2F;launches&#x2F;beo

      1. imglorp · · focus · HN ↗
        Would it make sense to send better robotic analyzers there than to bring the samples back here? Fighting gravity and kilometers involves spending many billions on return; a lesser amount could be spent on surface activities.
        1. Valgrim · · focus · HN ↗
          The issue is the size of some of these analysers. For instance, a synchrotron, which is required to non-destructively generate nanometer-scale 3d images of the samples are 3-4 times the size of a football stadium
          1. adastra22 · · focus · HN ↗
            An AFM can get atomic resolution imagery and is not the size of a football stadium.
            1. Valgrim · · focus · HN ↗
              An AFM is completely useless to identify the chemical elements, protein or crystalline structure inside a sample.
              1. adastra22 · · focus · HN ↗
                There are tools used in UHV surface science labs for that, in the same head as a AFM&#x2F;STM.
        2. m4rtink · · focus · HN ↗
          We would need to move people and cargo back and forth eventually, so best to get started on that ASAP. Not to mention sample return has been done from the Moon &amp; asteroid to great success, its a proven concept on how to get the most from the samples.
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