Airbus Defense and Space has won a contract to build a landing platform for the ExoMars mission. As part of it, the Rosalind Franklin rover will land on the Red Planet to search for signs of life.
Initially, the ExoMars mission was a joint European-Russian project. The Russian launch vehicle and the Kazachok landing platform were supposed to be used to deliver the rover to Mars. The mission launch was scheduled for September 2022.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine put these plans to the end. ESA completely broke off cooperation with the aggressor country and refused to use all Russian components, including the carrier and landing platform.
On March 28, Airbus announced that it had been selected by ESA and Thales Alenia Space (the mission’s prime contractor) to build the new landing platform. After landing, it will deploy the ramps that Rosalind Franklin will use to move down to the Martian surface. The value of the contract was not disclosed.
NASA is also involved in the project. Under the May 2024 agreement, the Aerospace Administration will provide brake engines for the landing platform as well as radioisotope heaters containing small amounts of plutonium-238. As it breaks down, it releases heat that will be used to keep the rover’s internal stuffing from freezing.
ExoMars is scheduled for launch in late 2028. Due to the presence of radioisotope heaters, it will take place from U.S. territory (required by U.S. law). NASA will later purchase a launch vehicle for the mission.
Arrival at Mars will take place in 2030. Once on the surface, Rosalind Franklin will search for biomarkers indicating the existence of Martian life in the past or even present. The rover is equipped with a drill that will allow soil samples to be taken from depths of up to two meters.
According to Spacenews
