NASA, ESA join forces to land European Rover on Mars

The space agencies signed a new agreement that will see NASA supply heating units for the Rosalind Franklin rover, which could launch as soon as 2028.

Last month NASA and ESA 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 US. contributions to the mission. ESA said the mission, called ExoMars, will be its most ambitious search for signs of past and present life on Mars. The rover is named after British chemist Rosalind Franklin, whose work was invaluable to the modern understanding of the foundation of life: DNA structures.

According to NASA, ExoMars also complements Mars Sample Return, a NASA and ESA-led initiative to bring Martian rock and soil samples to Earth for further study. “This pivotal agreement strengthens our collaborative efforts for the ExoMars programme and ensures that the Rosalind Franklin rover will set its wheels on Martian soil in 2030,” said Daniel Neuenschwander, director of human and robotic exploration for ESA. “Together, we are opening new frontiers in our quest to uncover the mysteries of Mars.

We demonstrate our commitment to pioneering space exploration and expanding human knowledge.” ESA had initially hoped to launch ExoMars in April 2022 with a different space agency partner, Russia’s Roscosmos. But following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of that year, it severed ties with Roscosmos and got to work on a new mission profile.

NASA will have a key role to play in the renewed effort, which is led by stakeholders in Italy and includes participation from most ESA member states. Neuenschwander and Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s science mission directorate, signed an MOU at ESA headquarters in Paris to get the US’s contributions in writing.