Mars Sample Return (MSR) is a complex, joint mission architecture planned by NASA and ESA to collect Martian surface samples and transport them to Earth for laboratory analysis. The campaign involves multiple distinct vehicles, including a rover to cache the samples, a lander with a small ascent rocket to launch them into Martian orbit, and an Earth-return orbiter to capture and bring them home. Scientists prioritize this mission because Earth-based laboratories can perform far more precise tests for biosignatures than any rover instrument.
The budget review for MSR is coming up, and we need to justify the mass margins on the ascent vehicle.
Because MSR requires launching a rocket from the surface of another planet, engineers often view the Mars Ascent Vehicle as the most critical bottleneck in the entire architecture.
Also heard as
- Mars Sample Return
Related terms
Mars rover
A Mars rover is an automated motor vehicle designed to travel across the surface of Mars.
ESA
European Space Agency, an intergovernmental organization coordinating Europe's space exploration.
Launch vehicle
A rocket or other system used to carry a payload from the Earth's surface into space.
Trajectory
The three-dimensional flight path of an aircraft, rocket, or spacecraft.