Proposed NASA mission could help scientists lay hands on Martian soil

A team at NASA believes that they can procure Martian soil cost effectively by 2022 by relying on commercial spaceflight provider SpaceX for a little help.

Back in 2011, NASA proposed using a modified SpaceX Dragon capsule - dubbed Red Dragon - to deliver equipment to Mars as a landing craft. More recently, however, the space agency's been looking for ways to bring samples collected by rovers - particularly the upcoming Mars 2020 rover - back to Earth, the Verge reported.

Scientists believe that Red Dragon might do the job of bringing the dirt back from Mars.

While initially skeptical that the Earth re-entry capsule could land on Mars without heavy modifications, NASA planners tell Space.com that they believe that the craft may indeed survive the trip, while still housing enough gear to transfer samples and a second vehicle to send them back to Earth.