Life Springs Mars mission - a new Mars sample return proposal with Japanese and Australian leadership. The plan is to return samples of possible microbialites from the Home Plate fossil hot spring deposits in Gusev crater, first imaged by the Spirit rover team.
https://www.lifespringsmars.com/
There is a link to a you tube channel australiancentreforastrobi6251
Topics to be explored include Australia’s capabilities in space, the properties of digitate sinter on both Earth and Mars, and different surface sampling strategies for the LifeSpringsMars mission. Dr Masaki Fujimoto, Deputy Director General of JAXA/ISAS will provide an update on JAXA’s new Mars landing program and Dr Jorge Vago, Head of ESA’s ExoMars mission, will provide an update on Europe’s continuing involvement with Mars.
https://www.unsw.edu.au/news/2023/09/lifesprings-mars-mission-team-meeting-announcement