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NASA's Mars Mission Costs Soar; China Prepares for 2028

7/9/2025

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Summary

Story summary

NASA's ambitious Mars Sample Return mission is on shaky ground, with costs soaring to $11 billion. In a bid to salvage the project, Lockheed Martin suggests a more affordable plan under $3 billion, leveraging existing technology. Meanwhile, China gears up for its own sample return mission, Tianwen 3, slated for late 2028, as the U.S. pivots towards manned exploration of the Red Planet.

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Story summary

NASA's ambitious Mars Sample Return mission is on shaky ground, with costs soaring to $11 billion. In a bid to salvage the project, Lockheed Martin suggests a more affordable plan under $3 billion, leveraging existing technology. Meanwhile, China gears up for its own sample return mission, Tianwen 3, slated for late 2028, as the U.S. pivots towards manned exploration of the Red Planet.