mars, mars rover, mars samples, nasa, samples

NASA and ESA Agree on Next Steps to Return Mars Samples to Earth

NASA’s Perseverance rover will establish the first sample depot on Mars. The next step in the unprecedented campaign to return scientifically selected samples from the planet was made on October 19 with a formal agreement between NASA and its partner ESA (European Space Agency). The two agencies will proceed with the creation of a sample ...

November 4, 2022

Troy Oakes

This illustration shows a concept for a set of future robots working together to ferry back samples from the surface of Mars collected by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover.

NASA Experiment Suggests the Need to Dig Deep for Evidence of Life on Mars

According to a new NASA laboratory experiment, rovers may have to dig about 6.6 feet (two meters) or more under the Martian surface to find signs of ancient life because ionizing radiation from space degrades small molecules such as amino acids relatively quickly. Amino acids can be created by life and by non-biological chemistry. However, finding certain ...

July 1, 2022

Troy Oakes