Scientists call for ‘mega-mission’ to find ancient life on Mars
by Robin McKie from on (#41PXT)
Rocket scientists tell Nasa a new rover could finally unlock red planet's secrets
American rocket engineers are being urged to push their next Mars mission to the limits of technological performance. Space scientists have told Nasa they want the agency to "dream big" to ensure their new robot rover, scheduled for launch in 2020, visits a maximum number of sites to increase chances of uncovering signs of ancient life on Mars.
Rock samples - hopefully bearing fossils - would then be left in caches on the Martian surface, to be collected several years later and returned to Earth in a complex series of robot "sample return" missions costing more than $10bn.
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