Fraser Cain on Nostr: Although the status of the Mars Sample Return Mission is still uncertain, engineers ...

Although the status of the Mars Sample Return Mission is still uncertain, engineers are working on technology to retrieve dozens of samples collected by Perseverance. Engineers at ESA are working on a robotic gripper arm that can retrieve the sample tubes from the rover or the ground. It's being tested with replica sample tubes that are exactly like the ones being deposited by Perseverance, testing different grippers that hold tightly without damaging the samples.

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2024/02/Grip_on_Mars