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NASA Grapples With Budget-Busting Mars Rover

Irene Klotz, Discovery News

Powered by pellets of decaying radioactive plutonium, Mars Science Lab is intended to collect soil and rock samples and analyze them for organics. The overall goal of the mission is to assess whether the landing area has or ever had the ingredients to host microbial life.

Mars Science Lab would have a much greater range and a far more sophisticated set of tools than the twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which have been exploring opposite equatorial regions of Mars since 2004. The new rover is four times heavier than the current rovers. Because it is powered by pellets of decaying radioactive plutonium instead of solar-energy, it can operate in more diverse situations and for longer periods of time.

Scientists are concerned that Mars Science Lab cost overruns may force NASA to cancel or delay other Mars probes including an atmospheric sciences mission selected last month. Long-term plans to return rock and soil samples from Mars also may be affected.

NASA has scheduled a meeting for Friday to attempt to resolve the issues.

Related Links:

Discovery Space: Top 10 Sites on Mars

Discovery Space: Facing Death on Mars

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory