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Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) has proposed a new streamlined approach to NASA’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, aiming to collect soil samples from Mars and return them to Earth. The updated plan introduces a smaller Mars lander, Ascent Vehicle, and Earth Return Orbiter, aiming to execute the mission for under $3 billion, significantly less than NASA’s current projections nearing $7 billion.
This initiative comes as Lockheed Martin has been involved in every NASA Mars mission, including the construction of the first Mars lander. As global interest in space rises, this approach could bolster the long-term prospects of Lockheed Martin’s space segment.
Separately, the company’s shares have shown a modest gain of 0.1% over the past year relative to the industry’s 19% growth, and LMT is currently trading at a forward P/E of 16.21X against an industry average of 26.70X.
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