Rock on Mars possibly indicating Life

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    Mars Rock Rover
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NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered a rock on Mars with a pattern linked to potential subsurface life, sparking excitement among scientists. While the rover cannot conduct further analysis, the rock is considered a prime candidate for a future sample return mission to Earth, where advanced labs could provide deeper insights. However, skepticism exists regarding the rock's significance as an indicator of past life, with concerns that the excitement may be a strategy to secure funding for the costly Mars Sample Return mission, which has seen its estimated budget balloon from $4 billion to $11 billion. The discussion raises questions about the feasibility of the return mission and whether sending a lab to analyze the rock on-site might be a more efficient approach. Overall, the discovery highlights both the potential for life on Mars and the challenges of space exploration funding and logistics.
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NASA people are excited about a new (old actually) rock that their rover Perseverance found a few days ago.

Screenshot 2024-07-25 at 6.37.36 PM.png


Space.com article here.

Short NASA video:

 
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mfb said:
This rock would be a great choice for a sample return mission.
Are there provisions for such a return mission? It would be great if NASA has thought that far ahead. (docking mechanisms and procedures, return missions, etc.) :smile:
 
Here is a short Science magazine news article on the rock find.
They are more skeptical about it as an indicator of past life and quote someone who suggests its a PR play for more money for a return the rocks mission.

berkeman said:
Are there provisions for such a return mission? It would be great if NASA has thought that far ahead. (docking mechanisms and procedures, return missions, etc.) :smile:

Here is an older (last year) Science magazine news article about how the previously planned return the rocks mission (AKA Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission) estimated costs went from 4 billion to 11 billion dollars. That's a lot of money, even for NASA. This has caused the return mission to be put on hold or in a bureaucratic Siberia of some kind.

One of the previous rovers (now dead I believe) has an on board lab that would have been better able to analyze the rock's organic chemistry, but it was not needed since it was planned for the samples to be returned to earth labs where things would be better analyzed.
 
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Sounds like they need to send a lab to that rock instead of bringing it back, then we'll see if it needs to come back.
 
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