"Independent Review Concludes NASA's Unrealistic Mars Sample Mission"

An independent review board has found that NASA's plan to return samples from Mars is facing numerous challenges and is unlikely to meet current cost and schedule expectations. The mission, known as Mars Sample Return, involves a complex campaign with multiple spacecraft and a budget estimated to range between $8 billion and $11 billion. The review board suggests aiming for launch readiness in 2030 instead of the original target of 2028. NASA has paused its plans to confirm the official mission cost and schedule and will review the report to determine a path forward for the mission.