Core Viewpoint - The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has released a funding bill for fiscal year 2026 that supports the White House's proposal to terminate NASA's Mars Sample Return mission, which aimed to bring back dozens of Martian rock core samples collected by the Perseverance rover [1] Group 1 - The funding bill reflects a significant shift in priorities regarding space exploration, particularly concerning the Mars Sample Return mission [1] - There has been a long-standing division among planetary scientists regarding the feasibility and budget of the Mars Sample Return mission, with concerns that its high costs could divert essential research funding [1]