Rocket Lab Urges NASA to Embrace a Faster, Cheaper Mars Mission

Rocket Lab has expressed disappointment with NASA's decision to prolong studies on the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. The company has proposed a cheaper and faster approach using its technologies. NASA is currently examining two new architectures for MSR, one involving a sky crane landing system and another using a heavy lander. Rocket Lab believes its end-to-end system, leveraging its Neutron launch vehicle and other technologies, could bring samples back by 2031 for less than $4 billion.Richard French, Rocket Lab's vice president, noted that NASA’s chosen architectures could cost up to $7. 7 billion and return samples between 2035 and 2039. French suggested that NASA should open MSR to commercial competition instead of further studies. This could involve selecting multiple proposals for initial studies before choosing one to execute. The Planetary Society has also voiced concerns about NASA’s delay in deciding on MSR, suggesting that the new administration expedite a decision and that Congress allocate sufficient funding. French believes the mission doesn’t need more study and should proceed to early design phases immediately.