Senate Questions Viability of NASA's Ambitious Mars Mission

Senate Questions , Viability of NASA's , Ambitious Mars Mission.

'The Hill' reports that the Senate has signaled deep concerns about NASA's plan to gather soil samples from Mars.

'The Hill' reports that the Senate has signaled deep concerns about NASA's plan to gather soil samples from Mars.

The mission's cost is one of those concerns, 'The Hill' reports.

The Mars mission has been offered just $300 million in funding for fiscal 2024 by Senate appropriators.

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That's less than a third of the , $949 million that NASA , requested for the mission.

The Committee has significant concerns about the technical challenges facing MSR and potential further impacts on confirmed missions, even before MSR has completed preliminary design review, Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies subcommittee, 2024 appropriations bill, via 'The Hill'.

The Committee has significant concerns about the technical challenges facing MSR and potential further impacts on confirmed missions, even before MSR has completed preliminary design review, Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies subcommittee, 2024 appropriations bill, via 'The Hill'.

NASA's estimates for the mission's development costs have soared from $4.4 billion to over $9 billion.

The Senate said that it would rescind the allocated $300 million if the space agency cannot guarantee the overall cost of the mission will not exceed $5.3 billion.

'The Hill' reports that NASA's estimated price tag does not include launch costs, operating costs or the construction of a sample-receiving facility to house Martian soil.

The Senate subcommittee also noted that NASA's aggressive 2028 launch date is likely to slip, which would increase costs as well.

'The Hill' reports that NASA's Artemis lunar program has also gone way over its planned budget and is expected to cost $93 billion by the time astronauts make it to the lunar surface.

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'The Hill' reports that NASA's Artemis lunar program has also gone way over its planned budget and is expected to cost $93 billion by the time astronauts make it to the lunar surface.