On September 28th, 2021, NASA announced plans for a mission to Mars in 2026. The agency’s ambitious plans involve sending a spacecraft to the Red Planet with a rover that will explore the planet’s surface and collect soil and rock samples.
This mission to Mars is part of NASA’s long-term goal to send humans to the planet in the 2030s. The agency first sent unmanned missions to Mars in the 1960s, and since then, it has carried out many successful missions, including the Mars Pathfinder and the Mars Exploration Rovers.
The 2026 mission will be a significant milestone in NASA’s journey to Mars as it will pave the way for future manned missions. The agency’s plan is to send a spacecraft carrying a rover to Mars, and once it lands on the planet’s surface, the rover will collect rock and soil samples.
The spacecraft will then return to Earth with the samples for scientists to study. The mission has been given the name “Sample Return,” and it will involve a collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency.
The mission timeline is a rigorous one, with several steps involved in the process. In 2022, NASA will launch the Mars Sample Return program, which will involve developing new technologies required for the mission. The next step will be the launch of the spacecraft from Earth in 2026, followed by the spacecraft’s landing on Mars in 2028.
Following the landing, the rover will take two Mars years (4 Earth years) to collect samples using its drill, which can reach depths of up to two meters. In 2031, the collected samples will be placed in a canister, which will be launched from Mars, returned to Earth, and retrieved by a waiting spacecraft.
The mission to Mars is an enormous undertaking, and NASA has already begun the preparations. The agency has already assigned a team of scientists to develop the necessary technologies, and they will work with other scientists and engineers from around the world to make the mission a success.
In conclusion, NASA’s announcement of plans for a mission to Mars in 2026 is an exciting development in space exploration. The mission will be a significant milestone in NASA’s journey to send humans to Mars in the 2030s, and it will also provide valuable scientific insights into the planet’s history and potential for supporting life. We can’t wait to see what NASA discovers when the spacecraft and rover finally land on Mars in 2028.