After successful missions to look closely to Mars. The scientist is now speculating whether it would be possible to get samples from Mars. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) together, agreed upon finding it. Now, the ESA has granted Airbus a $5.2 million contract to design a concept for a rover that can collect those samples on the red planet.

When is it planned for?

The rover’s lone task is to find and collect the canisters of samples. NASA’s Mars 2020 rover prepares and leaves behind. However, that doesn’t mean that designing the vehicle would be easy.

Mars 2020 will drill and dig up soil samples to put in 30 tubes. The fetch rover, which could head to the planet in 2026, will have to be able to detect them from a distance, autonomously drive to their location, pick them up with a robotic arm and then keep them in its storage space. It will also have to be able to plot its driving route on its own every single day.

What do experts say?

Ben Boyes, who will lead the feasibility team at Airbus, explained:

“It will be a relatively small rover — about 130kg; but the requirements are very demanding. The vehicle will have to cover large distances using a high degree of autonomy, planning its own path ahead day after day.”

As per speculations, it could take vehicle around 150 days to collect all the canisters Mars 2020 leaves behind. After that, it has to find the rocket it landed with. After which the samples would be handed to the rocket.

According to the reports, the vehicle will also have a camera, which will record and send the footage of taking off. Which means, we could get to see first launch from Mars.

It could be possible to bring back samples from Mars if everything goes to plan. However, nothing can be said with surety.

Now everyone around the world has eyes on the mission. If everything is according to the plans. Moreover, is a success. It will become the next significant milestone for the space agencies. Also, one which many would like to follow.