← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed TRL 5 (started at 4, targeting 5)
The challenge provides opportunities to develop a wide range of innovative methods to insert the sample, provide sample containment, erect the launch vehicle and deploy the sample container with limited human intervention and validate a reliable methodology. This challenge especially seeks to engage the amateur robotics and rocketry communities to provide solutions.
The challenge is designed to demonstrate systems that autonomously can recover, load, and launch a Mars sample cache from the red planet surface to a pre-selected orbit, to eventually be returned to Earth for analysis. It provides opportunities to develop a wide range of innovative methods to insert the sample, provide sample containment, erect the launch vehicle and deploy the sample container with limited human intervention and validate a reliable methodology. This challenge especially seeks to engage the amateur robotics and rocketry communities to provide solutions.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.