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NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission is dead

456 points · 391 comments · Muhammad523

peri-cl · 1790019864 · focus · HN ↗
This article only obliquely mentions in the last paragraphs, but there's a parallel Chinese program that recently brought back samples from the moon, and will attempt Mars sample return, launching in 2028,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianwen-3" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianwen-3
1. notabee · 1790020232 · focus · HN ↗
  Anyone wanting to be involved in the future of scientific research should probably start learning Mandarin. We're going the way of the Soviets, where political officers will quash any science that doesn't fit their ideology. <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/09/trump-planning-to-hand-veto-power-over-nih-grants-to-political-appointee/" rel="nofollow">https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/09/trump-planning-to-ha...
  1. FlowingRiver · 1790032888 · focus · HN ↗
    I think the defining moment is that IF China gets man back to the moon before the US, that will be the moment when it becomes too hard to ignore. That is the new political high ground.
    The Chang’e missions plan for this in 2030 and they have hit every target to date. While the US is currently targeting 2028, it isn't inconceivable that it can slip by two years.
    Aeolun · 1790035541 · focus · HN ↗
    When has the US ever hit a target? I mean, in recent memory anyway. 10 years of budget overruns are more likely.
    tonyhart7 · 1790037610 · focus · HN ↗
    but now the culture is differences, there is so many private space company that actually making it works

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