NASA delays launch of “Promise” reserve mission to Mars

• NASA is reviewing a “Promise” backup plan for a mission to Mars
• To extend the spacecraft’s lifespan through the MMRTG plutonium-238, the mission will be able to operate for longer
• NASA is considering using a backup spacecraft and keeping it on standby until 2028

NASA says it is considering whether it can send a Mars mission using the same nuclear-powered system as the Perseverance rover, which is already being built at the Laboratory for Advanced Rocket Propulsion. It is reviewing the “Promise” backup plan to see whether it can be used.

According to NASA, “Promise” could be delivered to Mars, with the mission continuing to operate through the region’s power supply. The plan calls for using the same Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG), which would allow the rover to operate for longer than planned. NASA officials say that the spacecraft could be launched in 2028.

NASA also said that the MMRTG’s plutonium-238, which will be used to power the mission, could be stored for a long time. As a result, the mass “Promise” would weigh about 1 ton, allowing it to be delivered by a Blue Origin Blue Moon or SpaceX Starship rocket.

NASA’s plan is to use the backup spacecraft’s capabilities to deliver the rover to the region’s surface. The agency said it could use other companies’ missions as well—Astrobotic, Firefly, and Intuitive Machines—to deliver scientific instruments to the Moon. Astrobotic is planning two missions.

As for the physical program, which NASA calls “Phase 1,” the plan is to complete the first mission by 2028 with about 10 million dollars in funding. Meanwhile, in phases 2 and 3, NASA plans to build additional nuclear power systems for the spacecraft, which would allow it to operate in “permanent” mode.

NASA also clarified that it could use a nuclear-powered system for the mission. For example, Blue Origin has said it would use a rocket that could carry a nuclear-powered spacecraft. NASA’s representatives said that if the rocket is delayed, the mission could be delayed as well.

In summary, the “Promise” backup plan is intended to provide NASA with an alternative option to ensure the mission’s success. In other words, the agency is preparing a backup plan in case something goes wrong with the primary mission.

Tags: USA/Energy/Technology/Space