Low Temperature Brazing: A Candidate Method for Preventing Interplanetary Contamination During the Mars Sample Return Mission

NASA and the European Space Agency are planning a joint Mars Sample Return campaign, scheduled to launch in 2026, with a very specific objective: return to Earth the rock and regolith samples that have been collected on Mars by NASA’s Perseverance rover. This is a very complex, multi-step process intended to culminate in the safe return of Mars samples to Earth. The term “safe return” implies use of a robust containment vessel designed to prevent any uncontained or unsterilized material from Mars from being returned to Earth. Hence, any technology chosen for sealing this vessel has to meet stringent contamination requirements, but also to withstand impact forces upon landing. This paper describes the development of a primary candidate for the sealing approach: brazing.