// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Sample Return
Sample return is a type of space mission where physical samples of extraterrestrial material are collected and brought back to Earth for detailed study.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Sample return is a space mission architecture involving the collection of physical samples (e.g., rocks, soil, atmospheric gases) from an extraterrestrial body (e.g., Moon, Mars, asteroid, comet) and their subsequent transport back to Earth for comprehensive laboratory analysis, providing unparalleled scientific insights.
BACKGROUND
Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost, or simply Blue Ghost, is a class of lunar landers designed and manufactured by the American company Firefly Aerospace. Firefly builds and operates Blue Ghost landers to deliver small payloads to the surface of the Moon. The first Blue Ghost mission was launched in January, 2025. It successfully landed on the Moon on March 2, 2025. The landers are named after the firefly species Phausis reticulata, known as blue ghosts.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Extraterrestrial sample retrieval
- material return mission
- specimen collection
USAGE NOTE
The Mars Sample Return campaign aims to bring Martian rock and soil samples to Earth, which could revolutionize astrobiology.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Sample Return.
The primary U.S. government space agency, which has successfully executed multiple sample return missions including Apollo (Moon), Stardust (comet), Genesis (solar wind), and OSIRIS-REx (asteroid). NASA is leading the Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign.
Japan's national space agency, which pioneered robotic asteroid sample return with the successful Hayabusa and Hayabusa2 missions. It is currently developing the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission to return a sample from Phobos.
An intergovernmental organization dedicated to space exploration. ESA is a major partner in the Mars Sample Return mission, responsible for developing the Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) which will capture the sample container in Mars orbit and bring it back to Earth.
The national space agency of China, which successfully conducted the Chang'e 5 robotic lunar sample return mission in 2020. Future plans include Chang'e 6 for a far-side lunar sample return and a Mars sample return mission.
A major aerospace and defense contractor that developed and built key components for NASA's sample return missions. They built the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and are developing the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) for the Mars Sample Return mission.
A division of Airbus and a leading aerospace company. It is the prime contractor for ESA's Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), a critical spacecraft for the Mars Sample Return campaign.
A subsidiary of Blue Origin specializing in planetary robotics. Honeybee developed the Coring Drill and the Sample Handling, Encapsulation, and Caching System on NASA's Perseverance Rover, which is collecting the samples for the Mars Sample Return mission.
A Franco-Italian aerospace manufacturer that develops high-technology solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, and space exploration. The company is developing key systems for the Mars Sample Return's Earth Return Orbiter, including communications and propulsion.