Davos/New Delhi: Renowned planetary scientist Meenakshi Wadhwa, one of the world’s leading experts on Mars exploration, has said that scientists have gathered “incredibly interesting and very tantalising” data from samples collected by rovers on the Red Planet — but plans to bring those samples back to Earth remain on hold due to budget constraints at NASA.
Speaking to NDTV on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Wadhwa said the Mars rover missions have already yielded crucial information that could help answer one of science’s biggest questions: whether life ever existed beyond Earth.
“NASA does have plans for bringing those samples back, but those plans are currently on hold,” she said.
NASA Budget Constraints Delay Mission
Wadhwa, who is now the Director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, explained that financial pressures have slowed progress on the Mars Sample Return mission.
“NASA has some budget issues, and so those plans are on hold, at least for the foreseeable future,” she said. “I hope we will bring those samples back at some point, because they represent our nearest-term opportunity to answer the big question of whether life ever arose anywhere else in our solar system besides Earth.”
Private Space Firms May Offer a Way Forward
Highlighting a possible path ahead, Wadhwa said the entry of private companies into the space sector could significantly reduce mission costs and revive stalled plans.
“We really have to think of out-of-the-box solutions to bring down the cost of returning these samples,” she said. “There could be opportunities with commercial space entities like SpaceX or Blue Origin. These companies are developing some truly amazing technologies — and at much lower costs.”
“I’m optimistic,” she added.
India’s Space Journey ‘Exciting to Watch’
Reflecting on her own journey, Wadhwa recalled leaving India for graduate studies at a time when the country’s space programme was still in its early stages.
“When I left India, the country did not have the kind of space programme it has today,” she said. “Now it’s just so exciting to see all the exploration India has been able to do.”
Linking Earth’s Evolution With the Cosmos
At Scripps, Wadhwa’s work focuses on understanding the connections between Earth’s evolution and planetary processes elsewhere in the solar system. She previously served as Director of the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University, playing a key role in shaping planetary science research.
WEF Davos 2026
The comments were made during the 56th edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, which has brought together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries to discuss global challenges, science, technology and economic transformation.