NASA Awards Mars Ascent Propulsion System Contract for Sample Return
Mars Ascent Vehicle Launching with Samples: This illustration shows a concept of how the NASA Mars Ascent Vehicle, carrying tubes containing rock and soil samples, could be launched from the surface of Mars in one step of the Mars sample return mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech. Full image and caption ›
The award moves NASA and ESA a step closer to realizing Mars Sample Return, an ambitious planetary exploration program that will build upon decades of science, knowledge, and experience.
NASA has awarded the Mars Ascent Propulsion System (MAPS) contract to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation of Elkton, Maryland, to provide propulsion support and products for spaceflight missions at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Coupled with the successful touchdown of the Mars Perseverance rover, this award moves NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) one step closer to realizing Mars Sample
NASA's Perseverance Rover is equipped with the most advanced science lab ever brought to another planet, so it will be able to thoroughly analyze any rocks and soil that it digs up. However, NASA also has something even more ambitious in mind: bringing Perseverance samples back to Earth via the Mars Sample Return mission. Now, the space agency has taken a big step in that mission, awarding the Mars Ascent Propulsion System (MAPS) contract to.
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