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Mars Civilization and Culture Task Force
Mars Global Surveyor Official NASA Site
Scientists Revisit Mars Sample Return Plans
By Leonard David Space News Correspondent posted: 9 May 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — International planning is under way to reinvigorate plans
for a
Mars sample return mission, with researchers assessing science priorities and
strategies to
maximize the scientific output from such an undertaking.
Over the last several years, an armada of orbital and surface missions has
revealed Mars to
be surprisingly more complex than once thought, imbued with a variety of
distinct
environments — each of value in terms of possible scientific payback given a
sample
return effort.
Mars samples returned to state-of-the-art Earth laboratories are considered by
many to
be the only way to unravel a host of unresolved questions about the red planet.
A sample
return mission also is viewed by many as a key tool to help space agencies
prepare for
future human expeditions to Mars.
Mars scientists, space engineers and program planners met here April 21-23 to
take part
in "Ground Truth from Mars: Science Payoff from a Sample Return Mission."
Discussions
focused on what scientific data can be extracted from the return of Mars samples
to Earth.
Another major topic was the packaging, care and handling of martian materials
that would
be needed to ensure that the specimens offer great payoff for their potential to
reveal past
and present conditions on the red planet. The meeting was initiated by the
Curation and
Analysis Planning Team for Extraterrestrial Materials, a standing committee of
scientists
who advise NASA.
Eleventh International Mars Society Convention
Carol Stoker - Phoenix Mars Lander Imaging Team
