Finally, I think it may be time to rethink "sample return." I starting to be convinced that innovations may start to occur that will make it possible to do analysis of samples at Mars at a good enough depth to make it not worth the cost to return the samples for earth side testing. Maybe, what NASA needs to keep watch on are microlaboraties, and spectroscopic advances. I know we have some amazing machines on earth that can do some analysis that can't be done on a small rover. The question is can we do enough their to find out what we really need to know.

That's a very interesting thought. The idea of sample return is decades old, and a lot of technological water has gone under the bridge since then.

At the very least, some detailed cost/benefit studies should be done based on current technologies and what might be reasonably developed in the near term.