"Rocket Test for Mars Sample Return Mission: Leaping off the Martian Surface"
NASA successfully tested the engines for the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), which will be used in the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. The SRM1 engine, responsible for getting the samples off the ground, featured a supersonic splitline nozzle and performed well in a vacuum chamber test. The SRM2 engine, responsible for boosting the MAV into orbit, demonstrated steady performance despite spinning at 200 RPM. Both engines met test requirements, but the future of the MSR mission remains uncertain due to financial and administrative concerns.