NASA wants to send new explorer to Mars in 2020

NASA has announced plans for a new Mars explorer to be launched in 2020. The machine has yet to be developed, but it will be based on technology also used for Curiosity, the Martian cart now cruising the red planet.

The plans have yet to be approved by Congress. According to NASA, there are still spare parts that were not used for the launch of Curiosity, the Mars lander that was launched some time ago. By cutting costs, NASA wants to meet criticism of the costs of the space program. According to the space agency, there is an amount of 1.5 billion dollars involved with the mission.

Furthermore, it is still unclear what kind of new technology will accommodate the yet-to-be-developed Mars lander. As a result, it is also unclear what exactly the space agency has in mind with the new Mars mission, which has not yet been given a name. NASA first wants feedback from scientists about the necessary equipment.

It’s not the first time NASA has released plans for future Mars missions. The space agency previously announced that the InSight should be launched in 2016. This should drill below the surface of the red planet. NASA wants to know if Mars’ core is made of solid matter, or if it’s liquid, just like Earth’s. The lander must also investigate why Mars is not divided into tectonic plates.