Ad that the rock collected by the persistence of Rover NASA, may contain microbial tests Mars passed, caused intensive scientific and political discussion.
The conclusion published in the magazine Nature After overcoming the strict process of the expert evaluation, it is not yet final.
Experts agree with that Only the analysis in the land laboratories will confirm whether these evidence corresponds to biological residues or geological processes.
Meanwhile, the opening is the most promising signal obtained still in search of signs of life outside the earth.
Sample baptized as Zafiro cannonwas removed in 2024 with a reddish rock with “leopard spots” located in Cráter Jezero, The old river bed, in which billions of years ago was housed liquid water. The stubbornness, equipped with high -level cameras and a Watson sensor on a robotic hand, found millimeter formations in the rock, which immediately attracted the attention of the scientific team.
Joel Hurovichi, A researcher of the University of Stani Brooke, and Katie Stack MorganFrom the NASA jet laboratory, they described the opening at the press conference as the strongest evidence obtained so far that Mars could be residential.
However, enthusiasm was accompanied by caution. The review of the reviewers did not find objections capableAs chemical reactions without the intervention of living organisms.
Morgan summarized this by a phrase that reflects the reasonable spirit of the scientific community: “Astrobiological statements, especially those related to the possible discovery of extraterrestrial life in the past require extraordinary evidence.”
These evidence can only be obtained if the samples collected by perseverance return to the ground, the problem that exceeds the scientific and enters the political and economic.
The return of the Martian samples became one of the most ambitious and complex projects in the history of space intelligence. However, its future is at the intersection marked by the technology and priorities of each US administration.
Program Mars Pattern Return (MSR), jointly developed by NASA and the European Space Agency, faced criticism after the independent council counted it Cost can reach $ 11,000 million And that the first samples will only arrive in 2040.
This delay, according to the former NASA administrator Bill NelsonIt was “just unacceptable”.
The budget value and the planned delay ended, which will scare away the continuity of the original plan, which opened the door with a new proposal.
Today NASA evaluates two alternatives to simplify and cut the missionwith sights set in the 2030s.
The first is based on proven aerological tap technology Curiosity in 2012 as perseverance in 2021. This mechanism combines a thermal shield, parachute and retrocogets to stop the ship before a stable cable lowers the vehicle to the surface.
The second alternative explores the contribution of the private sector with the possibility that companies such as Spacex O Blue Origin Development of platforms capable of carrying a high load module on Mars.
Both approaches are aimed at solving one of the great problems of Martian studies: its atmosphere. The air is dense enough to burn any ship that enters without protection, but at the same time too weak to stop parachute. This is a combined force for deployment Difficult descent strategieswhich include shields, missiles and accurate mechanical systems.
New architecture raised by NASA and its partners are trying to reduce costs and time. Instead of huge Incorporates a vehicle on MarsA smaller and effective version is offered. In addition, the energy of the platforms would no longer depend solely on solar batteries, vulnerable to dust thunderstorms, but on more reliable systems that can guarantee electricity and heat in extreme conditions.
According to the NASA expert Nicky FoxThese modifications They would allow samples between 2035 and 2039. The budget of $ 5,500 to $ 700 million, the figures are much lower than the original plan.
During a recent press conference, Fox emphasized the relevance of the mission: “We want to return them as soon as possible to study them at Avant -Garde facilities.
The return of Mars samples will allow scientists to understand the geological history of the planet and the evolution of the climate on this arid planet Where life could exist in the past and shed light on a primitive solar system before the beginning of life on Earth. It will also prepare us for the safe sending of the first human researchers to Mars. “
The samples collected by perseverance contain fragments of sedimentary rocks that are formed in the environment that once had water. There you can preserve chemical or structural traces of microscopic organisms when they existed.
For the researchers, Acceptance of this material is the only way to promote suspicion in the tests. The possibility of confirming the past on Mars not only to transform the astrobiology, but will also have a deep philosophical and cultural influence on humanity.
The discussion, however, is not limited to scientific. The decision of the Trump administration to cancel the original version of the MSR program left the void that NASA tries to fill with these alternatives.
Sean Duff, The temporary administrator of the agency sought to convey continuity, despite the changes: “We care about the resources, we care about the cash time, we believe there is the best way to do this, a faster way to return these samples. This is the analysis that we have conducted … and we think we can. We don’t only want to bring Mars sample.
Political basis explains why NASA still did not make a final decision. In 2026, the agency chooses between the two variants of the competition. Until now, the teams in the laboratory of the jet movement Pasaden will prove the technical vitality of each proposal. The purpose is that in the first round the trip to Mars is possible, safe and economically sustainable.
In addition to the budget dispute, scientists agree that the MSR mission will mark A before and after. Bring to Earth Rocks with a residential planet, never visited by people, allow the use of the impossible deploy Isotopic analysis of high accuracy of studies of microscopic structures with tools that weigh the tones.
This difference is what determines whether the microbial life on Mars or becomes certain.
The magnitude of what is being discussed is reflected in Bill Nelson’s words: “These samples can potentially change our understanding of Mars, Our universe and ultimately about ourselves. ”
In a statement, the relevance of the mission, which, although faced economic and political obstacles, is the best opportunity in the history of space intelligence to answer one of the oldest questions of humanity: are we alone in the universe?
