- Postecoglou urges inconsistent Spurs to change perceptions
- UN force says 'widespread destruction' in south Lebanon
- New Zealand on America's Cup cusp after double triumph
- New Zealand's Ravindra makes father proud with 'special' Test ton
- Stock markets mixed as investors weigh earnings, China GDP
- Ten Hag slams 'fairy tales and lies' as Man Utd boss comes out fighting
- Hamas mourns Sinwar, vows no hostage release until war ends
- Forest boss Nuno hit with three-game ban
- 'The killings continue': Sinwar death brings no respite for Gazans
- Gaza 'hell on Earth' for one million children: UN
- Maresca 'very happy' with start of Chelsea career
- New Zealand extends America's Cup lead on Britain
- England boss Tuchel deserves unconditional support: Guardiola
- P&G profits dip, says China recovery will take time
- India fight back after Ravindra ton cements New Zealand lead
- US regulator probes Tesla's self-driving mode after crashes
- Four-month-old baby dies as migrant boat sinks off France
- Kenya parliament backs Ruto's nominated new deputy
- Israel strikes Gaza after killing Hamas chief Sinwar
- Mbappe 'seems unaffected' by rape investigation reports: Ancelotti
- N Korea sending 'large-scale' troop deployment to Russia, Seoul spy agency says
- Global stock markets rise on China hopes
- Lebanon slams 'blatant interference' over remarks attributed to Iran official
- Odegaard nearing Arsenal return, says Arteta
- Women priests secretly ordained in the shadow of the Vatican
- Stellantis workers march in Italy over production slump
- Win over England a 'relief' but doesn't fix Pakistan woes, says Masood
- Howe says he was not contacted by FA over England job
- Biden in Berlin vows no let-up on support for Ukraine
- Meta unveils AI tie-up with horror movie producers
- King Charles arrives in Australia for landmark tour
- Stokes sorry for frustration over dropped catches in England loss
- Baby dies, 65 rescued as migrant boat sinks off France
- Slot warns against snap judgements as Liverpool brace for tough week
- Angry Macron blasts media over reporting of Israel comments
- Ukraine's army brigades battle to make enlisting 'sexy'
- India start steadily after Ravindra ton steers New Zealand to lead of 356
- Ravindra's 134 puts New Zealand in command of India Test
- Kenya's Ruto nominates new deputy after impeachment
- Israel conducts raids on Gaza after killing Hamas chief Sinwar
- Asian markets rise as China economy tops forecasts, gold hits record
- Pakistan crush England in second Test to set up series decider
- Harris, Trump to rally voters in key state on same day
- US sees new chance to end Gaza war with Sinwar killing
- From Siberia to the Sahara: Huskies conquer Mauritania
- Ravindra hits ton to extend New Zealand lead to 299 in India Test
- Marc Marquez quickest in Australian MotoGP practice
- 'Like Texas': Spain's arid south draws Western film shoots
- With record production, Moldova plum farmers hail EU integration
- Nigerians sacrifice cars as cost of living crisis worsens
Lockheed Martin wins NASA contract to bring Mars samples back to Earth
Lockheed Martin's space division has won a NASA contract to build the rocket that will return the first Mars rock samples to Earth in the 2030s, the US space agency said Monday.
The "small, lightweight rocket" will be the first to take off from another planet, bringing back "rock, sediment and atmospheric samples from the surface of the Red Planet," NASA said in a statement.
NASA's Perseverance Rover has been collecting samples from various Martian areas since landing on Earth's neighbor a year ago.
The goal of the mission is to find traces of ancient life on the Red Planet. But these samples will have to be analyzed in laboratories back on Earth, capable of more sophisticated tests than anything that can be done on Mars.
The samples will be gathered and then launched back to Earth in a complex operation in which the Lockheed Martin rocket will be a key element.
The contract for this "Mars Ascent Vehicle" has a potential value of $194 million, according to NASA.
"The pieces are coming together to bring home the first samples from another planet. Once on Earth, they can be studied by state-of-the-art tools too complex to transport into space," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA headquarters in Washington.
According to the space agency's plans, a mission will be launched in 2026 at the earliest to send the mini-rocket to Mars, carrying another rover responsible for collecting the samples left behind by Perseverance.
Once the samples are placed in the rocket, it will take off and put them in orbit around Mars. They will then be captured by another vessel sent there to complete the final leg of the journey back to Earth.
This last vessel, as well as the rover that will recover the samples, are being developed under the direction of the European Space Agency.
W.Lapointe--BTB