MSR Campaign Science Group (MCSG) et al. (>10)
Meteoritics & Planetary Science (in Press) Open Access link to Article [doi: 10.1111/maps.139811]
Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons

The Mars 2020/Mars Sample Return (MSR) Sample Depot Science CommunityWorkshop was held on September 28 and 30, 2022, to assess the Scientifically-ReturnWorthy (SRW) value of the full collection of samples acquired by the rover Perseverance atJezero Crater, and of a proposed subset of samples to be left as a First Depot at a location within Jezero Crater called Three Forks. The primary outcome of the workshop was thatthe community is in consensus on the following statement: The proposed set of ten sampletubes that includes seven rock samples, one regolith sample, one atmospheric sample, andone witness tube constitutes a SRW collection that: (1) represents the diversity of theexplored region around the landing site, (2) covers partially or fully, in a balanced way, allof the International MSR Objectives and Samples Team scientific objectives that areapplicable to Jezero Crater, and (3) the analyses of samples in this First Depot on Earthwould be of fundamental importance, providing a substantial improvement in ourunderstanding of Mars. At the conclusion of the meeting, there was overall communitysupport for forming the First Depot as described at the workshop and placing it at theThree Forks site. The community also recognized that the diversity of the Rover Cache (thesample collection that remains on the rover after placing the First Depot) will significantlyimprove with the samples that are planned to be obtained in the future by the Perseverancerover and that the Rover Cache is the primary target for MSR to return to Earth.