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List		 Addition DateSort Ascending Target Mission Instrument Size
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-08-10 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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JPL engineer Patrick DeGrosse reviews data from a drop test of a full-size lander footpad with a group of fellow engineers.
PIA25826:
Going Over the Footpad Test Data
Full Resolution:     TIFF (4.761 MB)     JPEG (161.3 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-08-10 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This setup is being used at JPL to test a 16-inch-diameter (40-centimeter-diameter) footpad for a future Mars lander.
PIA25824:
A Full-Size Footpad Test
Full Resolution:     TIFF (4.517 MB)     JPEG (191.2 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-08-10 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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Morgan Montalvo, another JPL engineer, sets guardrails on the floor below the prototype in a test of a scenario where the lander would stub a toe against a rock while touching down on Mars.
PIA25823:
Setting Guardrails for Mars Lander Testing
Full Resolution:     TIFF (5.194 MB)     JPEG (249.2 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-08-10 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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Engineer Abel Dizon explains how drop tests are conducted for a prototype lander being designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Mars Sample Return campaign.
PIA25822:
Testing a Prototype Mars Lander
Full Resolution:     TIFF (20.42 MB)     JPEG (665 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-08-03 Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This artist's concept shows Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System. The vehicle would bring curated Martian samples collected by NASA's Perseverance Rover on the final leg of their journey from Mars to Earth.
PIA25986:
Artist's Concept of the Earth Entry System for Mars Sample Return
Full Resolution:     TIFF (6.369 MB)     JPEG (220.4 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-07-31 Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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A development motor based on the second-stage solid rocket motor design for NASA's Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) undergoes testing March 29, at Northrop Grumman's facility in Elkton, Maryland.
PIA25967:
Mars Ascent Vehicle Second Stage Test
Full Resolution:     TIFF (5.916 MB)     JPEG (285.5 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-04-20 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows the proposed Capture, Containment, and Return System, a NASA payload on the European Space Agency's Earth Return Orbiter.
PIA25860:
Illustration of the Capture, Containment, and Return System for Mars Sample Return
Full Resolution:     TIFF (12.9 MB)     JPEG (323.7 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-04-06 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This artist's concept shows the proposed Capture, Containment, and Return System, a NASA payload on the European Space Agency's Earth Return Orbiter.
PIA25894:
Artist's concept of the Capture, Containment, and Return System
Full Resolution:     TIFF (6.158 MB)     JPEG (221.5 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-04-06 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows the Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), one of the flight missions making up the Mars Sample Return campaign to bring martian rock and atmospheric samples back to Earth.
PIA25893:
Artist's Concept of Earth Return Orbiter Releasing Capsule containing Martian Samples
Full Resolution:     TIFF (4.746 MB)     JPEG (175.3 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-04-06 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows the European Space Agency's (ESA) Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), the biggest spacecraft to ever orbit Mars.
PIA25892:
Earth Return Orbiter Infographic
Full Resolution:     TIFF (7.031 MB)     JPEG (1.048 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-04-06 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows the Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), one of the flight missions making up the Mars Sample Return campaign to bring martian rock and atmospheric samples back to Earth.
PIA25891:
Artist's concept of the Earth Return Orbiter over Mars
Full Resolution:     TIFF (7.889 MB)     JPEG (257.2 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2023-03-30 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows the proposed process for recovering Mars samples gathered by NASA's Perseverance Mars rover after they are returned to Earth as part of the joint NASA/ESA Mars Sample Return Campaign.
PIA25857:
Mars Samples: Proposed Containment and Transport
Full Resolution:     TIFF (52.28 MB)     JPEG (3.525 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2022-10-12 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration depicts the Mars Earth Entry System for the Mars Sample Return campaign. The system would contain the orbiting sample inside a disk-shaped vehicle with a heat shield for safe entry through the Earth's atmosphere.
PIA25336:
Mars Earth Entry System Aeroshell at Entry (Illustration)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (739.4 kB)     JPEG (17.89 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2022-07-27 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows a concept for multiple robots that would team up to ferry to Earth samples of rocks and soil being collected from the Martian surface by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover.
PIA25326:
Mars Sample Return Concept Illustration
Full Resolution:     TIFF (26.57 MB)     JPEG (1.091 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2022-04-21 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows a concept for a proposed NASA Mars lander-and-rocket combination that would play a key role in returning to Earth samples of Mars material collected by the Perseverance rover.
PIA25278:
Mars Sample Retrieval Lander-Mars Ascent Vehicle Launch Illustration
Full Resolution:     TIFF (12.79 MB)     JPEG (526.8 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2022-04-21 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows a concept for a proposed NASA Sample Retrieval Lander that would carry a small rocket called the Mars Ascent Vehicle to the Martian surface.
PIA25277:
Mars Sample Retrieval Lander Concept Illustration
Full Resolution:     TIFF (7.633 MB)     JPEG (483 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2022-04-21 Mars Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows a concept for multiple robots that would team up to ferry to Earth samples collected from the Mars surface by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover.
PIA24870:
Mars Sample Return Concept Illustration
Full Resolution:     TIFF (26.51 MB)     JPEG (1.085 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2022-03-08 Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows NASA's Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), which will carry tubes containing Martian rock and soil samples into orbit around Mars.
PIA25078:
Mars Samples in Orbit (Illustration)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (3.148 MB)     JPEG (140.5 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2022-03-08 Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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This illustration shows NASA's Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) in powered flight.
PIA25076:
Mars Ascent Vehicle (Illustration)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (2.205 MB)     JPEG (84.6 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2021-12-13 Mars Sample Return (MSR)
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Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory dropped this prototype to learn how a future Sample Return Lander could safely touch down on Mars.
PIA24766:
Testing a Lander Touchdown
Full Resolution:     TIFF (5.795 MB)     JPEG (232.2 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2021-02-17 Mars Mars Sample Return
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During the NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission, pristine samples of Mars rock and regolith will be collected and sealed inside collection tubes for later retrieval by the Sample Retrieval Lander mission in the late 2020s.
PIA24164:
Mars Sample Return Lander's Divert Maneuver
Full Resolution:     TIFF (2.742 MB)     JPEG (183.9 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2020-02-25 Mars Sample Return
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This image shows a concept model of NASA's orbiting sample container, which will hold tubes of Martian rock and soil samples that will be returned to Earth through a Mars sample return campaign.
PIA23712:
Mars Sample Return Orbiting Sample Container Concept Model
Full Resolution:     TIFF (72.19 MB)     JPEG (3.666 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2020-02-10 Mars Sample Return
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This illustration of a Mars sample return mission's lander concept shows a spacecraft after touchdown on the Red Planet.
PIA23711:
Mars Sample Return Lander With Solar Panels Deployed (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (28.05 MB)     JPEG (1.327 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2020-02-10 Mars Sample Return
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This illustration shows a concept for a Mars Ascent Vehicle releasing a sample container high above the Martian surface.
PIA23500:
Mars Ascent Vehicle Deploying Sample Container in Orbit (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (3.673 MB)     JPEG (140.4 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2020-02-10 Mars Sample Return
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This illustration shows a concept of how the NASA Mars Ascent Vehicle could be launched from the surface of Mars in one step of the Mars sample return mission.
PIA23496:
Mars Ascent Vehicle Launching with Samples (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (36.95 MB)     JPEG (1.557 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2020-02-10 Mars Sample Return
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In this illustration of a Mars sample return mission concept, a robotic arm transfers samples of Martian rock and soil from a fetch rover onto a lander.
PIA23495:
Robotic Arm Transferring Tubes From Fetch Rover to Lander (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (30.81 MB)     JPEG (1.499 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2020-02-10 Mars Sample Return
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In this illustration of a Mars sample return mission concept, a lander carrying a fetch rover touches down on the surface of Mars.
PIA23494:
Mars Sample Return Lander Touchdown (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (15.77 MB)     JPEG (592.6 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2020-02-10 Mars Sample Return
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This illustration shows a concept of what a rover fetching rock and soil samples on Mars for return to Earth could look like.
PIA23493:
Fetch Rover Approaching Sample Tubes (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (3.176 MB)     JPEG (163.1 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2011-06-20 Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of a proposed Mars sample return mission portrays the separation of an Earth entry vehicle, bearing a container of Martian rock samples, from the main spacecraft that would have carried it from Martian orbit nearly to Earth.
PIA14267:
Special Delivery from Mars to Earth (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (61.26 MB)     JPEG (1.344 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2011-06-20 Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of a proposed Mars sample return mission portrays the capture of a collection of Martian samples by a spacecraft orbiting Mars. The samples would have been collected on Mars by a rover and lifted to orbit by an ascent vehicle.
PIA14266:
Rendezvous in Martian Orbit (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (70.81 MB)     JPEG (1.485 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2011-06-20 Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of a proposed Mars sample return mission portrays the launch of an ascent vehicle. The solar panels in the foreground are part of a rover.
PIA14265:
Martian Samples Leaving Mars (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (104.2 MB)     JPEG (2.589 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2011-06-20 Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of a proposed Mars sample return mission portrays a rocket-powered descent stage lowering a sample-retrieving rover and an ascent vehicle to the surface.
PIA14264:
Landing on Mars for a Short Stay (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (74.28 MB)     JPEG (2.46 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2011-06-20 Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of a proposed NASA and European Space Agency collaboration on proposals for a Mars sample return mission portrays a series of six steps in the spacecraft's landing on Mars.
PIA14263:
Vehicle for Lofting a Sample Approaches Mars (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (70.07 MB)     JPEG (1.118 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2011-06-20 Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of a proposed NASA and European Space Agency collaboration on proposals for a Mars sample return mission portrays a series of six steps (A through F) in the spacecraft's landing on Mars.
PIA14262:
Vehicle for Lofting a Sample Approaches Mars (Labeled Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (70.07 MB)     JPEG (1.164 MB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2011-06-20 Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of a proposed Mars sample return mission portrays an aeroshell-encased spacecraft approaching Mars. This spacecraft would put a sample-retrieving rover and an ascent vehicle onto the surface of Mars.
PIA14261:
Mars Sample Return Spacecraft Before Arrival (Artist's Concept)
Full Resolution:     TIFF (61.15 MB)     JPEG (716.8 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2004-03-03 Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept shows the proposed NASA Mars sample return mission above the red planet.
PIA05491:
Roundtrip Ticket To Mars
Full Resolution:     TIFF (415.4 kB)     JPEG (22.03 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2004-03-02 Mars Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of the proposed NASA Mars Sample Return mission shows the orbiter and lander, just after the orbiter would release the lander to descend through the martian atmosphere.
PIA05486:
On Its Own
Full Resolution:     TIFF (862 kB)     JPEG (41.4 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2004-03-02 Mars Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of the proposed NASA Mars Sample Return mission shows the entry, descent and landing sequence the lander would undergo on its way to Mars.
PIA05487:
The Tricky Part
Full Resolution:     TIFF (1.05 MB)     JPEG (76.54 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2004-03-02 Mars Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of the proposed NASA Mars Sample Return mission shows the launch of the martian sample back toward Earth.
PIA05488:
To Mars and Back
Full Resolution:     TIFF (2.151 MB)     JPEG (116.1 kB)
Add Image to Favorite List 2004-03-02 Mars Mars Sample Return
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This artist's concept of the proposed NASA Mars Sample Return mission shows rendezvous of the orbiting sample container with the Earth return vehicle.
PIA05489:
Rendezvous in Space
Full Resolution:     TIFF (1.033 MB)     JPEG (63.38 kB)
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