Sylvia's_Future+Space+Mission

__ Mars Exploration Program __
 * Future Missions to Mars **

NASA is creating a long-term Mars Exploration Program which will chart a course for the next 20 years. This will enable us to visually see the scientific discoveries and see which missions have succeeded and failed. A scout mission is a low-cost mission that NASA decided to stick with. After the Phoenix lander had been successful, NASA will be selecting proposals from the science community. These missions may involve airborne vehicles (airplanes, balloons) or small landers that will be investigation platforms.
 * Scout Missions**

For the Mars Sample Return mission, NASA would like to use robotic systems to go to Mars and obtain samples of rocks and soils, then return to planet Earth for scientists to have a thorough look at them. It will give scientists a chance to look at the detail of the rocks and soil and look at the physical characteristics more carefully. Scientists will be able to make any changes with the samples and analysis if they come across anything they don’t expect. Lastly, the rocks brought back from Mars will enable future generations to do more speculation with the samples because of the new technologies they will have.
 * Mars Sample Return**

Astrobiology Field Laboratory** Another mission NASA hopes to accomplish in the future is the Astrobiology Field Laboratory which hopes to conduct a robotic search for life. It will look more in-depth form what the Mars Science Laboratory will find in 2011.
 * [[image:Astrobiology-Field-Lab.jpg width="485" height="321" align="right" caption="Astrobiology Field Laboratory        http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/future/futureMissions.html"]]

NASA is seeking for technologies that would help accelerate the schedule of exploration and to invest in advanced technology that will be smaller then the science instruments we currently have on Mars. Lastly they are hoping to invest in deep drilling systems that will allow them to see hundreds of meters beneath the red planet’s surface.
 * Deep Drilling and Other Technologies**

**Future Missions to Mars Bibliography **