The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosalind Franklin rover is back on course for a landmark trip to Mars, where it will probe the red planet for signs of extraterrestrial life.
ESA initially designed the Mars rover alongside Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, as part of the ExoMars programme. The vehicle was set to launch in 2022, but when Russia invaded Ukraine, ESA severed ties with Moscow, putting the mission in jeopardy. Rosalind Franklin — named after the British chemist whose work was crucial to understanding the structure of DNA— was left without several key components, including a landing platform to safely touch down on the Martian surface.
But now, ESA and Thales Alenia Space, the prime contractor for the ExoMars mission, have issued Airbus a £150mn contract to build a new lander at the company’s facility in Stevenage, UK. The British government will fund the lander via the UK Space Agency.
“Getting the Rosalind Franklin rover onto the surface of Mars is a huge international challenge and the culmination of more than 20 years’ work,” said Kata Escott, managing director at Airbus Defence and Space UK, which also designed and built the rover.
The ExoMars spacecraft is set to launch from the US in 2028. Arrival on Mars is expected by 2030.
If successful, it will be Europe’s first rover to be sent to Mars. The US space agency NASA already has two in operation— Perseverance and Opportunity — while China has one, called Zhurong.
The trip to Mars
As the spacecraft approaches Mars, the lander — carrying the rover — will separate and begin its rapid descent into the atmosphere. A combination of a heat shield, parachutes, and braking rockets will slow down the lander just before touchdown.
Once on the surface, the lander will deploy ramps, allowing the rover to drive off and begin its exploration. Rosalind Franklin’s instruments will look for evidence of past and present Martian life. The rover includes a drill designed to probe as deep as two metres into the surface, acquiring samples shielded from radiation on the surface. It’s designed to operate for at least seven months.
Since its fallout with Russia, ESA has secured new agreements for various components of the ExoMars spacecraft, including a contract with NASA to supply adjustable braking engines for the landing platform and radioisotope heating units (RHUs). These RHUs use radioactive decay to generate heat, preventing the rover from freezing in the frigid Martian environment.