PIA14261: Mars Sample Return Spacecraft Before Arrival (Artist's Concept)


Mars Sample Return Spacecraft Before Arrival (Artist’s Concept)

Caption:

This artist's concept of a proposed Mars sample return mission portrays an aeroshell-encased spacecraft approaching Mars. This spacecraft would put a sample-retrieving rover and an ascent vehicle onto the surface of Mars. The rover would deliver previously cached samples to the ascent vehicle, which would then lift the samples off the planet to rendezvous in orbit with another spacecraft for taking the samples to Earth.

Background Info:

NASA and the European Space Agency are collaborating on proposals for a mission to gather samples of Martian rocks and bring them to Earth after 2020. This illustration depicts preliminary concepts, not finished design.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mars
System
Target Type Planet
Mission Mars Sample Return (MSR)
Instrument Host Mars Sample Return
Host Type Rover
Instrument
Detector
Extra Keywords Artwork, Color
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2011-06-20
Date in Caption
Image Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA14261
Identifier PIA14261