{"id":115633,"date":"2024-10-18T17:23:49","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T10:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115633"},"modified":"2024-10-18T17:23:49","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T10:23:49","slug":"bridenstine-to-lead-nasa-mars-sample-return-strategy-review-spacepolicyonline-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115633","title":{"rendered":"Bridenstine to Lead NASA Mars Sample Return Strategy Review \u2013 SpacePolicyOnline.com"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>In a post on NASA\u2019s Science Mission Directorate website yesterday, NASA disclosed establishment of a Mars Sample Return Strategy Review Team to assess 11 studies of alternatives for returning samples of Mars to Earth. The independent team, led by former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, will not recommend acquisition strategies or partners, but examine options. The agency also set up a \u201cNASA analysis team\u201d composed mostly of NASA employees to provide programmatic input.<\/p>\n<p>NASA is trying to find a way to return the samples now being collected by the Mars Perseverance rover back to Earth less expensively and more quickly than what the agency has been planning.<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">\u00a0<\/span>An <a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/mars-sample-return-scientifically-critical-but-eye-poppingly-expensive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">independent review<\/a> of the joint NASA\/ESA program last year concluded it would cost as much as $11 billion and had a \u201cnear-zero chance\u201d of meeting its schedule, prompting <a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/nasa-wants-new-ideas-fast-on-how-to-return-samples-from-mars-affordably\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NASA to reach out<\/a> for new ideas.<\/p>\n<p>The Perseverance rover already has left 10 cigar-shaped sample tubes at a \u201cdepot\u201d in the Three Forks region of Jezero Carter on Mars for later retrieval. Additional tubes are stored inside Perseverance as it continues its exploration of the martian surface.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64989\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64989\" style=\"width: 805px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64989\" src=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Perseverance-sample-depot-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"805\" height=\"542\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Perseverance-sample-depot-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Perseverance-sample-depot-1024x690.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Perseverance-sample-depot-768x518.jpg 768w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Perseverance-sample-depot-400x270.jpg 400w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Perseverance-sample-depot.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 805px) 100vw, 805px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64989\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">An annotated version of the portrait captured by NASA\u2019s Perseverance rover\u2019s camera shows the location of the 10 sample tubes in the depot. The \u201cAmalik\u201d sample closest to the rover was about 10 feet (3 meters) away; the \u201cMageik\u201d and \u201cMalay\u201d samples farthest away were approximately 197 feet (60 meters) from the rover. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/ASU\/MSSS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In June, NASA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-exploring-alternative-mars-sample-return-methods\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">awarded<\/a> 10 study contracts and added an 11th earlier this month to submit ideas on a quick-turnaround basis. The industry proposers received $1.5 million fixed-price study contracts.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL),\u00a0 Pasadena, CA (a federally funded research and development center, or FFRDC, operated for NASA by the California Institute of Technology, which manages the existing Mars Sample Return program)<\/li>\n<li>Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL), Laurel, MD (a university-affiliated research center, or UARC)<\/li>\n<li>Lockheed Martin, Littleton, Colorado: \u201cLockheed Martin Rapid Mission Design Studies for Mars Sample Return\u201d<\/li>\n<li>SpaceX, Hawthorne, California: \u201cEnabling Mars Sample Return With Starship\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Aerojet Rocketdyne, Huntsville, Alabama: \u201cA High-Performance Liquid Mars Ascent Vehicle, Using Highly Reliable and Mature Propulsion Technologies, to Improve Program Affordability and Schedule\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Blue Origin, Kent, Washington: \u201cLeveraging Artemis for Mars Sample Return\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Quantum Space, Rockville, Maryland: \u201cQuantum Anchor Leg Mars Sample Return Study\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Northrop Grumman, Elkton, Maryland: \u201cHigh TRL MAV Propulsion Trades and Concept Design for MSR Rapid Mission Design\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Whittinghill Aerospace, Camarillo, California: \u201cA Rapid Design Study for the MSR Single Stage Mars Ascent Vehicle\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Rocket Lab, Long Beach, California: \u201cRocket Lab Proposal for Rapid Mission Design Studies for Mars Sample Return\u201d (added October 8, 2024)<\/li>\n<li>Several NASA centers working together (NASA declined to specify which ones)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_75232\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-75232\" style=\"width: 377px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-75232\" src=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bridenstine-website-flag-moon-300x234.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"377\" height=\"294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bridenstine-website-flag-moon-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bridenstine-website-flag-moon-1024x797.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bridenstine-website-flag-moon-768x598.jpg 768w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bridenstine-website-flag-moon-1536x1196.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bridenstine-website-flag-moon-347x270.jpg 347w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bridenstine-website-flag-moon.jpg 2047w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 377px) 100vw, 377px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-75232\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jim Bridenstine. Credit: jimbridenstine.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Bridenstine-led <strong>Mars Sample Return Strategy Review Team <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/missions\/mars-sample-return\/new-team-to-assess-nasas-mars-sample-return-architecture-proposals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">established yesterday<\/a> will examine those options \u201cfor a complete mission design, which may be a composite of multiple studied design elements\u201d and report \u201cby the end of 2024.\u201d Other members are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Greg Robinson, former program director, James Webb Space Telescope<\/li>\n<li>Lisa Pratt, former planetary protection officer, NASA<\/li>\n<li>Steve Battel, president, Battel Engineering; Professor of Practice, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor<\/li>\n<li>Phil Christensen, regents professor, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe<\/li>\n<li>Eric Evans, director emeritus and fellow, MIT Lincoln Lab<\/li>\n<li>Jack Mustard, professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science, Brown University<\/li>\n<li>Maria Zuber, E. A. Griswold professor of Geophysics and presidential advisor for science and technology policy, MIT<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A former Naval Aviator and member of Congress (R-OK), <a href=\"https:\/\/jimbridenstine.com\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bridenstine<\/a> was NASA Administrator in the Trump Administration when the Artemis program to return humans to the Moon began. Now a consultant, he <a href=\"https:\/\/jimbridenstine.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">continues<\/a> to champion returning astronauts to the Moon and other space exploration goals and is a member of Aerospace Corporation\u2019s Board of Trustees and the Secure World Foundation\u2019s Advisory Committee.<\/p>\n<p>During his last year as Administrator, Bridenstine and then-Science Mission Directorate head Thomas Zurbuchen established <a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/nasa-establishes-independent-review-board-for-mars-sample-return\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the first Mars Sample Return (MSR) Independent Review Board<\/a> when concerns began arising about the program\u2019s cost, then estimated in the $2-3 billion range.<\/p>\n<p>That <a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/outside-experts-want-nasa-to-delay-schedule-increase-cost-estimate-for-mars-sample-return\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">first IRB in 2020<\/a>, chaired by former Orbital ATK president David Thompson, strongly supported MSR, but concluded it was too ambitious as designed and recommended pushing out the launch dates and increasing the cost estimate.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_39070\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39070\" style=\"width: 565px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39070\" src=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ESA-MSR-infographic-296x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"565\" height=\"573\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ESA-MSR-infographic-296x300.png 296w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ESA-MSR-infographic-266x270.png 266w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ESA-MSR-infographic.png 737w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 565px) 100vw, 565px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39070\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">Mars Sample Return architecture in 2020. Credit: ESA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>NASA and ESA changed the design \u2014 or \u201carchitecture\u201d \u2014 but schedule and cost doubts continued. A <a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/figueroa-to-lead-second-independent-review-of-mars-sample-return-mission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">second IRB<\/a> was established in 2023. Chaired by former NASA Director of Mars Exploration (\u201cMars Czar\u201d) Orlando Figueroa, the IRB-2\u2019s results in September 2023 were even more <a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/mars-sample-return-scientifically-critical-but-eye-poppingly-expensive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">troubling<\/a>. The new design had a \u201cnear-zero\u201d probability of meeting the launch schedule later this decade and would cost at least $8-9.6 billion and perhaps as much as $11 billion.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_55197\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-55197\" style=\"width: 735px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-55197\" src=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/new-MSR-plan-July-27-2022-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"735\" height=\"414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/new-MSR-plan-July-27-2022-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/new-MSR-plan-July-27-2022-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/new-MSR-plan-July-27-2022-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/new-MSR-plan-July-27-2022-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/new-MSR-plan-July-27-2022-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/new-MSR-plan-July-27-2022-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-55197\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">Revised Mars Sample Return architecture, July 2022. From left: NASA Ingenuity-class helicopter, ESA Earth Return Orbiter, NASA Perseverance rover, NASA lander with ESA robotic arm, and NASA Mars Ascent Vehicle. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Nicky Fox, who succeeded Zurbuchen as head of SMD, set up an internal Mars Sample Return Independent Review Board Response Team (MIRT) to assess the IRB-2\u2019s analysis. At the same time, it was becoming clear that NASA\u2019s budget was about to come under some rather severe constraints as a result of the <a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/house-and-senate-appropriators-keep-nasa-basically-at-fy2023-levels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fiscal Responsibility Act.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In April 2024, after a six-month assessment, she and Administrator Bill Nelson agreed with the IRB-2\u2019s conclusions and decided <a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/nasa-wants-new-ideas-fast-on-how-to-return-samples-from-mars-affordably\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">an entirely new look<\/a> is needed at how to get the Perseverance samples back to Earth affordably and in a timely manner. They issued a request for proposals to industry on April 15 for <a href=\"https:\/\/nspires.nasaprs.com\/external\/solicitations\/summary.do?solId={BB8B4EA2-C11B-259D-65E7-E0ADFA57CE11}&amp;path=&amp;method=init&amp;utm_source=NASA+Website&amp;utm_medium=Digital&amp;utm_campaign=Lower+Case&amp;utm_id=lower+case\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rapid Mission Design Studies for Mars Sample Return<\/a>, with replies due May 17. Most of the awards were made <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-exploring-alternative-mars-sample-return-methods\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">on June 7<\/a>, with a 90-day deadline, but on October 7 Rocket Lab <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rocketlabusa.com\/updates\/rocket-lab-awarded-nasa-study-contract-to-explore-bringing-rock-samples-from-mars-to-earth-for-the-first-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announced <\/a>they were just added. NASA centers, JPL and APL also were invited to submit ideas.<\/p>\n<p>Those are the ideas the Bridenstine team will examine. They\u2019ll be able to call upon a <strong>NASA Analysis Team,<\/strong> also just established, that can provide programmatic input such as a cost and schedule assessment. The analysis team is led by David Mitchell, chief program management officer at NASA Headquarters. Mitchell and eight other NASA employees are joined by JPL chief engineer emeritus Rob Manning and the Smithsonian\u2019s Under Secretary for Science and Research Ellen Stofan. Stofan is a former NASA chief scientist.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>David Mitchell, chief program management officer, NASA Headquarters<\/li>\n<li>John Aitchison, program business manager (acting), Mars Sample Return<\/li>\n<li>Brian Corb, program\u00a0control\/schedule analyst, NASA Headquarters<\/li>\n<li>Steve Creech, assistant deputy associate administrator for Technical, Moon to Mars Program Office, NASA Headquarters<\/li>\n<li>Mark Jacobs, senior systems engineer, NASA Headquarters<\/li>\n<li>Rob Manning, chief engineer emeritus, NASA JPL<\/li>\n<li>Mike Menzel, senior engineer, NASA Goddard<\/li>\n<li>Fernando Pellerano, senior advisor for Systems Engineering, NASA Goddard<\/li>\n<li>Ruth Siboni, chief of staff, Moon to Mars Program Office, NASA Headquarters<\/li>\n<li>Bryan Smith, director of Facilities, Test and Manufacturing, NASA Glenn<\/li>\n<li>Ellen Stofan, under secretary for Science and Research, Smithsonian<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><h5 style=\"text-transform:initial;\" class=\"entry-date\">Last Updated: Oct 17, 2024 4:20 pm ET<\/h5>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/spacepolicyonline.com\/news\/bridenstine-to-lead-nasa-mars-sample-return-strategy-review\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a post on NASA\u2019s Science Mission Directorate website yesterday, NASA disclosed establishment of a Mars Sample Return Strategy Review Team to assess 11 studies of alternatives for returning samples &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115633\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8628],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=115633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115633\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=115633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=115633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=115633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}