NASA Hands Over Mars Sample Return Study Contract To Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab will design the concept of Mars sample return (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA NASA submitted a Mars Sample Return Study (MSR) contract on October 8 to Rocket Lab, a California-based space company. This study is expected to be completed in the coming months.

Through this MSR Mission Design Study Contract, Rocket Lab will study the design and elements of the samples Perseverance collects on Mars. From the results of the study made, the company will create a comprehensive mission concept with a development target before 2040.

Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck is determined to produce the concept of the best and innovative mission to realize NASA's dream. Beck believes that his company can create a very economical concept because they always apply cost-effective planetary science strategies.

"Taking samples from Mars is one of the most ambitious and scientifically important efforts humans have ever made. We have developed the concept of an innovative mission to make it happen at affordable costs and accelerated schedules," Beck said.

Meanwhile, Rocket Lab explained that they did not choose Rocket Lab at first. However, after re-evaluating, they realized that the concept of a study from Rocket Lab has the potential to provide good results for the MSR mission.

"The Pocket Lab is not included in the concept of a preliminary study selected by NASA in June 2024, but the Rocket Lab proposal was then re-evaluated by NASA and selected for the study contract because it is in good agreement with the focus of demand," Rocket Lab said, quoted by Spacenews.

The concept of this company's study was successfully selected because Rocket Lab is targeting a simple mission with a total of less than US$2 billion (Rp31 trillion). The company also targets a launch in 2028 with samples landing no later than 2033.