Makers of Atlas V Rocket Land Mars 2020 Rover Contract
NASA's Launch Services Program awarded the launch services contract to United Launch Alliance (ULA)- the makers of the Atlas V rocket. This selection was resulted from a competitive procurement under the NASA Launch Services contract.
The Mars 2020 rover mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the red planet, and will address high-priority science goals for Mars exploration: characterizing the climate and geology of Mars, looking for signs of past life, and preparing the way for human crews to explore the planet.
The mission is scheduled to launch in July 2020 aboard an Atlas V 541 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. At this time wherein the Earth and Mars are at opposition, the planets will be on the same side of the Sun and making their closest approach to each other in four years, being just 62.1 million km (38.6 million miles) part. This mission will launch aboard an Atlas V 541 vehicle, which includes a 5-meter diameter payload fairing and four solid rocket motors.
The rover will conduct geological assessments of its landing site on Mars, to determine the habitability of the Martian environment and search for signs of ancient Martian life. This will include taking samples of soil and rock to learn more about Mars' "watery past", and assess natural resources and hazards for future human explorers. This mission will also attempt to find actual evidence of ancient microbial life.
Addition to this, another new feature is the rover's drill system will be used, which will collect core samples and store them in sealed tubes and leave in a "cache" on the surface of Mars for potential return to Earth by a future mission to the Red Planet - which will constitute the first sample-return mission from the Red Planet.
The total cost for NASA to launch Mars 2020 is approximate $243 million, that includes the cost of launch services, processing costs for the spacecraft and its power source, launch vehicle integration and tracking, data and telemetry support.
The Mars 2020 rover will be the latest in a long line of orbiters, rovers and landers that are seeking to unlock the mysteries of the Red Planet and prepare it for human visitors!
