This is when we confirm the schedule.'" Editor's note: This story first appeared on Flying. The post NASA decision on Mars Sample Return slides to 2026 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

The rover's 26th sample, known as "Silver Mountain," has textures "unlike anything we've seen before," NASA says.

A collection of Martian rocks could reveal details about potential past life on the Red Planet – but first NASA has to get them back to Earth.

Related: NASA wants new ideas for its troubled Mars Sample Return mission NASA recently ... for example — and doesn't expect to make a decision until mid-2026. With that timeline, the European return ...

NASA’s Perseverance rover uncovers an ancient rock sample in Jezero Crater, possibly dating back billions of years.

NASA earlier this week said it needs more time to determine the path forward for its Mars Sample Return program, punting a decision until mid-2026. But Rocket Lab believes the best solution is ...

The Mars Sample Return mission, as it's called for now ... will carry the hardware to the Red Planet in the second half of 2026 – that's almost two years from now - and there are some changes ...

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech There is a perception that NASA’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission is being delayed by indecision, but the real delay has been multiple decades of seeking a heritage ...

NASA's remarkable new sample from Mars will help scientists get a better understanding of the planet's history and whether it ...

NASA is currently considering the best way to carry out its Mars Sample Return mission, which will attempt to bring to Earth all of the material gathered by Perseverance during the course of its ...

Earlier this month, outgoing NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and other agency officials presented two possible plans for the mission, known as Mars Sample Return ... half of 2026 following ...