Mars sample return details coming next week, NASA and European Space Agency promise

Next week, NASA and the European Space Agency will reveal their plans for bringing pieces of Mars to Earth.

There will be a news conference about the Mars sample return on Wednesday. You can watch it here at Space.com or on the agency's website.

As early as 2033, the Perseverance rover's samples will be brought to Earth. The goal is to allow scientists to scrutinize the samples for any signs of ancient Martian life as well as information about how the Red Planet evolved over time.

There are amazing photos from the Perseverance rover's first year on Mars.

A systems requirement review was held as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign's conceptual design phase, according to a statement from NASA. The concept of how a mission will be carried out is referred to as architecture.

If the schedule holds, the architecture proposal will be finalized in September.

There will be participants in the meeting.

• Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate
• David Parker, director of ESA's Human and Robotic Exploration
• Jeff Gramling, director of NASA's Mars Sample Return Program
• Francois Spoto, head of ESA's Mars exploration group

The public was asked to give comments on an environmental assessment for the mission via online comments and two virtual public meetings. NASA plans to release a draft environmental impact statement later in 2022.

Due to the mass requirements of the mission, the coalition decided to develop a second landers. The first lander will send a NASA-developed Mars ascent vehicle to the surface, while the second will carry a "fetch rover" to pick up Perseverance's samples

The cache from Perseverance will be placed inside the MAV by the fetch rover. The samples will be taken to Mars by the MAV and sent back to Earth.

The return to Earth mission was pushed back two years due to the addition of the second lander.

It was the correct choice according to NASA officials. They said the revised plan is in line with the findings of the IRB.

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