(NewsNation) — China has set a timeline for recovering samples from the surface of Mars within the next half-decade, while similar ambitions in the US have been sidelined by funding issues. The Tianwen-3 robotic mission launching in 2028 would travel to the Red Planet, collect 500 grams (1.1 pounds) of samples and return them to Earth in 2031. The material would be analyzed in a specially designed laboratory in eastern China’s Anhui province that “protects both the Martian samples and Earth’s biosphere,” according to the government news agency. The ultimate goal of studying the samples is to determine whether Mars harbored life. There was a time when planet was covered in liquid water Was Mars ‘pyramid’ made by aliens? Red Planet authorities say: “Through detailed analysis of returned samples, scientists hope to find reliable biosignatures,” said Hou Zengqian of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. If the project materializes, China would eclipse efforts by NASA and the European Space Agency to return Mars samples that have already been collected by NASA’s robotic rover. Perseverance NASA’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, whose cost has skyrocketed in recent years, lost most of its funding earlier this year as part of sweeping federal budget cuts. Observers said the initiative is effectively dead, at least for the moment. on Earth in the form of meteorites, but they are not considered as pristine as samples that would be brought back from the Red Planet. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. For breaking news, weather, sports and streaming videos, head to NewsNation.
