The British arm of Airbus has won a £150 million ($194 million) contract to build the landing platform for the first British-made rover set to land on Mars in 2030. The Rosalind Franklin rover, designed and built by Airbus engineers between 2018 and 2019, was initially scheduled to launch in 2022 but its departure was aborted due to Russia’s withdrawal from the mission.
To overcome this setback, the UK Space Agency collaborated with global partners to replace Russian components. Airbus will now design the mechanical, thermal, and propulsion systems for the 2030 rover landing, which is set to launch in 2028.
The rover aims to explore Mars, drill up to two meters into the ground, and search for evidence of past life, including fossilized microbes. This mission marks a significant milestone in British space exploration and confirms Europe’s presence on the red planet.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/airbus-uk-unit-wins-194-mln-contract-mars-rover-landing-platform-2025-03-29