Mars Science Scope Prior to the Arrival of Humans (MSSPAH)

Introduction: The International Mars Exploration Working Group (IMEWG) has assembled a sub-working group to identify and prioritize science and planetary protection (PP) goals that should be the target of Mars investigations during the transition period between the current robotic-only exploration and future synergistic missions by robots and humans.

The “Mars Science Scope Prior to the Arrival of Humans (MSSPAH)” sub-working group efforts will provide inputs to facilitate informed decision making by space agencies and the international Mars exploration community about future science missions.

The MSSPAH sub-working group started their work in February 2026 and the team is targeting completion in November 2026.

MSSPAH Organization:  The working group comprises members competitively selected from applicants worldwide, as well as agency-nominated IMEWG members and ex-officio representatives from stakeholder organizations such as the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG), and NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD).

Workflow: The work is broadly divided into three different tasks:

• Scientific Priorities: Starting from the existing science/planetary protection (PP) objectives driving robotic exploration of Mars, identify Mars science priorities that could be affected by the arrival of humans.
• Knowledge gaps: Based on the existing documentation, identify planetary protection approaches and residual risks to humans or equipment, and evaluate which could be addressed by the prioritized science.
• Prioritization: Establish metrics to prioritize scientific and PP objectives and generate matrix of investigations vs metrics to identify priorities.

At the time of writing, the group was divided into three sub-groups (covering the areas of geology, life, and climate) and is finalizing task 1. The near-final findings of this group will be presented at this meeting.