An artist’s concept depicts the Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars. [Courtesy: NASA]
Key Takeaways:
NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have formalized a partnership for the ExoMars mission, aiming to land ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars by 2030 to search for signs of past or present life.
This expanded U.S. contribution is crucial, enabling the mission to proceed after ESA severed ties with Russia's Roscosmos, with NASA providing key components like launch services, propulsion, and radioisotope heater units.
The Rosalind Franklin rover features unique capabilities, including a deep-drilling system (6.5 feet) to collect and analyze subsurface ice samples on-site, along with autonomous navigation, to uncover evidence of Martian life.
NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are joining forces to land an ESA rover on Mars as early as 2030.
NASA and ESA on Thursday signed a fresh memorandum of understanding (MOU) to launch the latter’s Rosalind Franklin rover to the Red Planet as early as 2028, bolstered by expanded U.S. contributions to the mission.
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
