Europe’s first rover to explore another planet is set to launch towards Mars in 2028. The Rosalind Franklin rover, named after the scientist who helped discover the structure of DNA, will search for signs of life on the red planet.
The lander that will deposit the rover on Mars’ surface has been lined up to be built in the UK by Airbus, with a £150m contract funded by the UK government. The mission is part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars project, which aims to determine if life ever existed on Mars.
Initially suspended due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the project has been reassessed and secured more funding. NASA will now supply the rover’s launcher and radioisotope heater units. The rover is expected to arrive on Mars in 2030.
Landing on Mars is a complex challenge. The lander, which features a parachute and heat shield, will slow down using multiple parachutes before touching down. To achieve this, Airbus needs to design a propulsion system with a high throughput, as the landing speed must be reduced to less than three meters per second.
The team is working on legs for the lander, two symmetrical ramps that will deploy once it has landed, and upgrades to the rover’s guidance and navigation control system. The project manager notes that this mission is “humanity defining science” and a great opportunity to find signs of past life on Mars.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/29/europe-first-mars-rover-rosalind-franklin-esa-airbus-lander