NASA will create the first extraterrestrial repository of soil samples in human history

Despite the fact that man will not set foot on the surface of Mars for at least another two decades, this does not prevent scientists to build the first extraterrestrial storage facility in history there.

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wants to build a repository for samples of Martian soil on the Red Planet. And its creation will take only 30 days.

The role of extraterrestrial builder will be tried on rover Perseverance, which since 2021 will traverse the expanse of the crater Jezero (Jezero). NASA wants to move all collected samples in one place to avoid unpleasant incidents when sent to Earth.

Perseverance will install 10 containers in the vault. It extracts two samples on each mission. The rover will send backup capsules to the vault. The second specimen will remain aboard the rover. In all, Perseverance has collected 18 samples at nine sites. Delivery is expected next year.

The repository will be built at a site called Three Forks. It is devoid of a lot of rocks, which will make it easier for aircraft like the Ingenuity unmanned helicopter to take off. The containers will be spaced 5 to 15 meters apart so they can be conveniently picked up.

Source: NASA