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NASA May Delay or Cancel 2003 Rover Missions
James Burk
Sept 16 - In what can only be described as a frustrating development to advocates of Mars Exploration, NASA/JPL is reportedly considering the cancellation or delay (until possibly 2008) of the twin Mars Exploration Rovers. Apparently they do not have confidence that the Pathfinder-derived airbag landing system will work due to the increased mass of the Athena rover design.
Also on the chopping block, the projected 2011 launch date for Mars Sample Return. The results of studies done by aerospace firms including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and TRW agreed that the costs of such a mission would lie in the staggering range of $1.3 - $2 billion, and development could not reasonably begin until 2016. Meanwhile, a private Russian firm is readying a sample return mission to Phobos for 2007 at a cost significantly less than $1 billion.
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