A final decision on the sample retrieval strategy is expected to be made in 2026, after detailed engineering studies of each option are completed.

Nelson emphasized the importance of ensuring the U.S. conducts the sample return rather than relying on a Chinese spacecraft, highlighting that the incoming administration will play a crucial role in the mission's future.

The proposed strategies include utilizing existing technology such as the sky crane landing method used by the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, or collaborating with commercial partners like SpaceX and Blue Origin.

Both options plan to clean the sample tubes on the Martian surface rather than in the spacecraft, and they are considering using nuclear power to manage Martian dust storms.

NASA aims to return 30 titanium tubes containing samples collected by the Perseverance rover, which has already gathered over two dozen samples since its landing in 2021.

The Perseverance rover is currently focused on Jezero Crater, a former lake site where promising evidence of ancient Martian life has been found.

On January 7, 2025, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced a revised plan for the Mars Sample Return mission, just days before his departure coinciding with President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

If successful, these design changes could decrease the estimated mission cost and potentially shorten the timeline for sample return by one to five years.

As the new administration takes over, the position of incoming NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman on the Mars Sample Return mission remains uncertain.

The agency has abandoned its original $11 billion plan due to excessive costs and delays that would have postponed sample returns until after 2040.

In response, NASA is proposing two new, more economical strategies that aim to reduce costs and complexity, with estimates bringing the budget down to between $6 billion and $7 billion.

These new options could allow for the mission to be completed by 2035, significantly faster than the previous timeline.