NASA is starting a new effort to robotically bring Mars samples back to Earth.
The agency unveiled the Perseverance Sample Retrieval Architecture, or PSRA, this week as it tries to fix its Mars sample return program. The plan would set a new strategy for gathering samples collected by the Perseverance rover and launching them toward Earth. The strategy team kickoff is set for January 2027, with a final report expected in winter 2027-2028.