Going to Mars seems like a one way mission all this while. But it looks like NASA may believe returning could be a possibility.

Since 2011, NASA has been considering SpaceX's Dragon capsule as a potential delivery vehicle for the space agency's next Mars rover in 2020. The Dragon capsule may also be able to reach Mars safely while carrying a small rocket in its belly to return back to Earth's orbit.

This second rocket could be loaded with soil samples and fired from the Red Dragon's belly. When it returns to Earth's orbit, it would be greeted by a second Dragon capsule capable of safeguarding the samples through Earth's atmosphere.



While the idea is still a propose, NASA won't be implementing it until at least 2022 when the 2020 rover would have enough time to gather some more interesting samples.

Via Space.com