For the first time ever, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will be brining rock samples from Mars back to planet Earth for intense research and studies.
NASA has announced that the agency is ready to continue on with its Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign to bring pristine rock samples from the Red planet.
“The agency established the MSR Independent Review Board (IRB) to evaluate its early concepts for a groundbreaking, international partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) to return the first samples from another planet,” NASA said in a statement.
The board’s report eventually gave NASA the green light to go ahead with the plan, post the examination of the Mars Sample Return plan.
“After a thorough review of the agency’s planning over the past several years, the IRB unanimously believes that Nasa is now ready to carry out the MSR program, the next step for robotic exploration of Mars,” said the statement.
What Will The Mars Rock Samples Be Used For?
The collected samples will be crucial in our further study into the the planet. One of the primary research goals is to “answer key astrobiology questions.” Scientists are hoping to determine if life ever existed on the planet.
“I believe this sample return will be well worth the effort and help us answer key astrobiology questions about the Red Planet bringing us one step closer to our eventual goal of sending humans to Mars,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, Nasa associate administrator for science at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.
