With its plan to return samples from Mars in jeopardy, NASA is now making a desperate plea for outside help to save the costly and complex mission.
NASA administrator Bill Nelson and the agency’s head of science, Nikki Fox, announced Monday they will seek suggestions from the greater space industry with a formal request for ideas. The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which has been overseeing the mission from California, has already laid off about 530 employees — about 8 percent of its workforce — and 40 contractors in the face of budget constraints.
NASA will solicit new concept proposals for the mission that could reduce spending and hasten the timeline. The agency is also asking other NASA campuses to weigh in. By the fall, they hope to have some new ideas to consider.
When asked what happens if there aren’t any practical solutions, administrator Bill Nelson quipped, “Better than not to try.”
Support authors and subscribe to content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.