Nasa has awarded a contract to US company Lockheed Martin Space to build the spacecraft that will return the first samples of Martian rock and soil to Earth.
The American space agency announced the $194m contract award Monday, and noted Lockheed Martin should begin early work on the Mars Ascent Vehicle spacecraft by the end of the month. The Mars Ascent Vehicle will take Martian samples taken by Nasa’s Perseverance rover from the Red Planets surface to being their journey to scientists on Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return program.
