Mars Sample Return – Spaceflight Now

Northrop Grumman to supply solid rocket motors for first Mars Ascent Vehicle

March 29, 2021 Stephen Clark

NASA awarded Northrop Grumman a contract worth as much as $84.5 million earlier this month to supply rocket motors for a first-of-its-kind launch vehicle to fire a capsule of rock samples off of Mars on a journey back to Earth.

NASA primed for historic flight of experimental Mars helicopter

March 26, 2021 Stephen Clark

NASA’s Perseverance rover will soon release a small rotorcraft onto the surface of Mars and drive a safe distance away to observe a series of historic test flights in the ultra-thin Martian atmosphere, which could begin around April 8, officials said this week.

Perseverance rover aces first test drive on Mars

March 5, 2021 Stephen Clark

Two weeks into its mission of exploration on Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover is doing an “exceptional job” and has completed its first test drive, mission managers said Friday.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter camera spots Perseverance rover after landing

March 5, 2021 Stephen Clark

A high-resolution camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has spotted the Perseverance rover after landing on the Red Planet last month, showing the nuclear-powered robot sitting on the Martian surface with its supersonic parachute and other landing system components scattered nearby.

NASA releases first-of-its-kind high-definition video of Mars rover landing

February 22, 2021 Stephen Clark

NASA officials released never-before-seen views of a spacecraft landing on another planet Monday, showcasing multi-angle replays recorded by ruggedized high-definition cameras mounted on the Perseverance rover last week when it safely touched down on Mars.

First images of Mars rover landing just a taste of what’s to come

February 19, 2021 Stephen Clark

The first picture of NASA’s Perseverance rover landing on Mars shows the nuclear-powered robot suspended under its rocket jetpack just before touchdown. The spectacular view could be upstaged next week with the release of a first-of-its-kind high-definition video replay of the rover’s final descent.

NASA rover reaches Mars on mission in search for signs of past life

February 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover set down on an ancient lakebed after a flawless plunge into the Martian atmosphere Thursday, achieving an unprecedented pinpoint landing while delivering the most sophisticated suite of science payloads ever flown to another planet.

Live coverage: Perseverance rover lands on Mars

February 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

NASA officials plan to host a news conference at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) Monday to update the status of the Perseverance rover’s mission on Mars. During the briefing, NASA is expected to release first-of-its-kind video captured by the mission during its descent to the Red Planet.

What to expect during Perseverance’s landing on Mars

February 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

NASA’s nuclear-powered Perseverance rover is set to arrive at Mars on Thursday with a make-or-break entry, descent, and landing. The rover will execute the arrival autonomously, while engineers and scientists back on Earth will have a nail-biting 11-minute wait for signals to reach home confirming the fate of the $2.7 billion mission.

Mars rover ready for riskiest part of $2.7 billion mission

February 17, 2021 Stephen Clark

NASA’s Perseverance rover is racing toward Mars for a daring high-speed plunge into the Red Planet’s atmosphere Thursday, ready to use a heat shield, a supersonic parachute, and braking rockets for a pinpoint touchdown on a dried-up river delta that may harbor clues about the potential for past life.