This is John Batcher, a conversation with my colleague Bob Zimmerman, Behind the Black, about

Mars Sample Missions.

China announces its plans to do a Mars Sample Mission in 2028. Bob, however, assesses the three possibilities, the three different

enterprises that can mount a Mars sample mission. We know of the NASA try. We now hear of the China try. What

about SpaceX, Bob Zimmerman, the three possibilities and the one he likes best. More

of this tonight. I say there are three possible

candidates for completing a sample return mission to Mars. The first is

a sample return from NASA on ESA. That's a mess. I don't know when that's going to happen as early as the

30s as they hope. The second is China's now announced mission as a lot of

unknowns there, but they once again, they meet their schedules pretty good.

And the third possibility is actually SpaceX's

the Starship.

They've even, SpaceX has even picked a landing zone,

preliminary landed zone on Mars.

And it was being designed Starship for Mars missions.

Now, SpaceX could do this either in conjunction with the NASA Mars sample retirement

sure or it could do it at its own.

But if it does it on its own,

I think they have to be one's more likely

do this first above the other two entities down.