Birkbeck academic contributes to Mars Sample Return research
New research sheds light on Mars exploration, as NASA’s Perseverance rover collects samples due to return to Earth in the 2030s.
Dr Keyron Hickman-Lewis from Birkbeck’s School of Natural Sciences has co-authored a paper published in a recent collection from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that details the samples collected by the Mars Sample Return programme. This NASA-led initiative is set to bring Martian rock and regolith (loose, dusty material covering the planet’s surface) and atmospheric samples to Earth for analysis, advancing understanding of the geology, evolution, and potential for life on Mars.
As one of only five European Returned Sample Science Participating Scientists on NASA’s Perseverance rover mission, Dr Hickman-Lewis has contributed to a report outlining the 27 samples collected by the rover since its arrival at Jezero Crater in 2021. These samples, which include rock cores, regolith materials and a sample of the Martian atmosphere, have been carefully selected to answer profound questions about Mars. He commented:
“Over the past few decades, rover exploration of Mars has provided a wealth of information about the planet, but answering the most challenging questions, such as whether microbial life ever existed on Mars, requires sample analysis using powerful instrumentation in laboratories on Earth. Since 2021, the NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover has been studying the geology of Jezero crater on Mars, collecting diverse rock cores for Mars Sample Return. These materials have unparalleled potential to significantly advance our understanding of the Martian planetary system, and studying organic materials preserved within these rocks will hopefully allow us to answer the question: was there ever life on Mars?”
Jezero Crater, an ancient site on Mars thought to have once hosted a lake, is a prime location for such astrobiological studies. Researchers are optimistic that the return of these samples to Earth, anticipated in the 2030s, will mark a turning point in our understanding of the Martian planetary system.
The PNAS collection provides a definitive reference on the scientific goals and significance of the Mars Sample Return programme, bringing together experts from fields including geology, chemistry, biology, atmospheric science, and engineering. This effort underscores the importance of collaborative interdisciplinary science and the unparalleled potential of Earth-based laboratory analyses to unravel Mars’ geological history and assess its habitability.
The publication of these papers marks a significant milestone in the Mars Sample Return programme, further highlighting the critical role of international collaboration in humanity’s quest to explore and understand our neighbouring planet.