The mission had come under heavy scrutiny for going over its original budget and timeline.
Originally, MSR was capped at a $7 billion budget to return the samples in the 2030s.
Retrieving samples from Mars is one of the most ambitious and scientifically important endeavors humanity has ever embarked upon.
An illustration of the Perseverance rover using its drill on a rock sample on Mars.NASA/JPL-Caltech
The company also built twin satellites for NASAs ESCAPADE mission to Mars.
without the help of a few private startups.
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