The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said it is working with the International Mars Architecture for Return of Samples, or IMARS, to plan such a mission.

NASA said the ability to study soil from Mars on Earth would contribute significantly to answering questions about the possibility of life on Mars, as well as increasing the understanding of the useful or harmful properties of Martian soil, which will support planning for the eventual human exploration of Mars.

IMARS includes representatives from more than a half-dozen nations, including the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the Canadian Space Agency and NASA.

The next steps in preparing for a Mars sample return mission includes more detailed international trade studies on engineering and mission specifics, greater detail on science and sample requirements and definition and requirements for Earth-based facilities, the space agency said.