Scientists are very happy that NASA is planning to send another rover to Mars, but they're making themselves clear: It should be able to collect samples.
Both the Planetary Society and American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Science (DPS) put out separate statements claiming that the next rover should incorporate plans to eventually send Martian samples back to earth.
Back in December, NASA announced that a new rover will launch towards Mars in 2020, and that it'll share a design similar to that of the recent Curiosity machine.
"We welcome the recent announcement that NASA will return to Mars in 2020 with a new rover derived from the MSL Curiosity design," said the Planetary Society in a statement. "Continued exploration of Mars is crucial to the scientific community and important for building upon our decades-long investment in engineering and technology development. However, we strongly believe that the mission should have the capability to collect and store Martian rock samples as recommended by the National Research Council's Planetary Science Decadal Survey."
"We strongly believe that the mission should carry a payload consistent with the recommendations given in the National Research Council's decadal survey for planetary science, Vision and Voyages," said the DPS in its own release. "It is of the utmost importance that NASA and Congress follow the recommendations laid forth in the Decadal Survey in order to maximize science return and support a balanced and affordable approach to exploration in our solar system."
The Decadal Survey that both of these groups mention is taken every 10 years and outlines what should be the top priorities concerning the further exploration of space.
NASA has yet to reveal any details about the new 2020 rover, but it seems clear there will be plenty of disappointed scientists if it can't collect rock and soil samples. The space agency's associate administrator John Grunsfeld previously said that every decision made will depend on what the group hopes to achieve on Mars.
Aside from highlighting what they would like to see in NASA's rover project, the two organizations also came out against budget cuts that threaten future missions not focused on Mars. There are already two spacecraft orbiting Mercury and Saturn that could be in peril should budget cuts go through, and a future mission to Jupiter's moon Europa would be threatened as well.
"We find the shift in budgetary priority deeply troubling," said the Planetary Society. "Namely, it represents a step backwards from our nation's long commitment to exploration and the pursuit of answers to the big questions of 'where do we come from?' and 'are we alone?'"
