First Landing Site Workshop for the SkyFall Mission
February 9-10, 2027, Virtual
The First Landing Site Workshop (LSW) for NASA’s SkyFall mission to Mars will take place virtually on February 9-10, 2027. This workshop aims to identify potential landing sites and adjacent exploration zones of high scientific value, adhering to the engineering constraints imposed by the project and spacecraft design.
Given the rapid development schedule of the SkyFall mission, this LSW will be expedited compared to previous missions, but the Mars Exploration Program and the SkyFall project are committed to maximizing scientific benefits during site selection.
Objectives
- Rank Potential Sites: The workshop’s outcome will be a ranked list of potential landing sites for detailed assessment by the SkyFall project and scientific community, setting the stage for the Second Landing Site Workshop later in 2027.
- Site Assessment: The project will evaluate the engineering safety of proposed sites, while soliciting community consensus on scientific value and potential flight trajectories.
Call for Proposals
Before the workshop, individuals and self-organized groups are encouraged to identify and propose potential landing sites for preliminary assessment. Detailed submission guidelines can be found in the SkyFall Mission Information Package. Those who propose qualifying sites may be invited to present them at the First LSW.
Additional Information
More details on the SkyFall mission, including its payload, surface objectives, and engineering constraints, can also be accessed in the SkyFall Mission Information Package.
Learn More About the Mission
NASA’s next Mars helicopters will investigate the Red Planet, gathering scientific data and scouting regions to reveal insights into climate history and the potential for subsurface ice.
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