N° 41–2022: Media advisory: NASA and ESA to discuss Mars Sample Return

NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) recently held a systems requirement review as part of the campaign’s conceptual design phase - a phase when the architecture is refined and solidified. The briefing will present the architecture proposal that is expected to be finalised in September 2022.

The Mars Sample Return campaign will revolutionise our understanding of Mars by returning scientifically-selected samples for study using the most sophisticated instruments around the world. This strategic partnership with ESA will be the first mission to return samples from another planet, including the first launch from the surface of another planet. The samples to be returned – currently being collected by Perseverance during its exploration of an ancient river-delta – are thought to be the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars, including the potential for life. 

Teleconference participants:

• Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA
• David Parker, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, ESA
• Jeff Gramling, Director, Mars Sample Return Program, NASA
• Francois Spoto, Head of Mars Exploration Group, ESA

Media interested in participating in the call should send their full name, media affiliation, email address, and phone number to Alana Johnson at alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov by 17:00 EDT / 23:00 CEST, Tuesday, July 26.

A copy of NASA's media accreditation policy is available online.

More information

ESA Mars Sample Return: 
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Exploration/Mars_sample_return

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars-exploration/missions/mars-sample-return/

ESA blog To Mars and Back: https://blogs.esa.int/to-mars-and-back/

Social media

Twitter: @ESA, 
Instagram: Europeanspaceagency
Facebook: EuropeanSpaceAgency
YouTube: ESA

 

Images

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images

Terms and conditions for using ESA images:
www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images

For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int.

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos

Terms and conditions for using ESA videos:
https://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Terms_and_Conditions

For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly spaceinvideos@esa.int.

Media contacts:

Dewayne Washington / Karen Fox

NASA Headquarters, Washington D.C., USA

001-301-782-5867 / 001-202-358-1257

dewayne.a.washington@nasa.gov / karen.c.fox@nasa.gov

Bernhard von Weyhe

ESA Headquarters, Paris, France

0033 153 69 75 04

media@esa.int

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members.

ESA has established formal cooperation with five Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int

For further information:
ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office – Bernhard von Weyhe
Email: media@esa.int
Tel: +33 (0)153 69 75 04