NASA's Perseverance rover may have found signs of ancient alien life in Mars samples.

The mission to bring these samples back to Earth is delayed due to rising costs and setbacks.

Originally budgeted at $5-7 billion, the Mars sample-return project now estimates $8-11 billion.

The sample return, initially planned for the near future, is now not expected until 2040.

NASA is exploring new proposals to streamline the mission and cut costs, with a deadline of May 17 for submissions.

Despite financial and staffing challenges, NASA is dedicated to the goal of retrieving Mars samples, a pivotal step for subsequent human exploration of the Moon and Mars.