Return of Martian samples: Boeing offers a solution

NASA is looking for a way to retrieve rock samples from Mars for less than the $10 billion the agency would need under its own plan. So last month, mission managers put out a call to industry for ideas. Boeing has just proposed one.

NASA needs help

NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission, which seeks to bring the first Martian samples back to Earth, recently underwent a major overhaul aimed at simplifying its architecture. Originally designed with a dedicated recovery rover and two landers, the plan was revised to rely directly on Perseverancealready on site, and require only one lander. This simplified approach was intended to reduce the complexity and costs of the mission, while ensuring the successful return of Martian samples to Earth. However, despite these adjustments, the mission plan still remains too expensive with a budget now estimated at more than ten billion dollars. Moreover, this approach would not allow NASA to recover its samples by the end of the 2030swhich could potentially allow China to complete its own mission before the Americans. Faced with these challenges, mission leaders announced on April 15 that they plan to solicit proposals from industry for innovative designs. The goal is to be able to conduct the mission in a shorter time frame and for a lower budget. Boeing is the first company to disclose details about how it would attempt a Mars sample-return mission.

Only one launch

In concrete terms, NASA’s basic concept has so far involved two launches. A first launch would be responsible for launching a lander, itself equipped with a small rocket to lift the rocket samples off the surface of Mars. A second rocket would be responsible for launching a European spacecraft to meet the sample carrier placed in orbit around Mars by the small rocket, then bring it back to Earth. Here, the architecture proposed by Boeing, the main contractor for the SLS rocket, would only involve a single flight of its rocket. In detail, the plan includes sending a large 25-tonne double-decker vehicle whose objective will be to land on Mars. A rover would then be deployed to recover the samples from Perseverance. These samples would then be placed in the second floor (eleven tons) equipped with an encapsulation system. The latter would then be able to take off from the surface, reach Martian orbit, and then return to Earth on its own. In terms of timing, such a mission would be launched in 2034, would land on Mars in early 2035 and would spend a few weeks transferring samples to the capsule. Then the ascent vehicle would launch from the Red Planet and deliver the samples into the hands of scientists. by the end of 2035.

The SLS lifts off into the skies over Cape Canaveral on November 16, 2022. Credits: Paul Hennessy

Is this really reasonable?

This new approach So it seems appealing on paper. It would reduce the number of launches by fitting all the vehicles needed for the mission into a single rocket fairing and would allow the mission to be completed before the end of the 2030s. However, the concept of a larger vehicle runs counter to the thinking shared by NASA officials last month. The idea was to develop a lighter lander and a smaller rocket in order to reduce mission complexity. Furthermore, the question of cost is still unresolved. This approach has not yet been evaluated financially. However, the use of the SLS would itself remain costly. Indeed, a single launch would probably cost at least two billion dollars. Finally, Boeing has not no direct experience as a project manager for a Mars mission. For now, this is just an idea on paper. NASA will consider other proposals in the coming weeks.