ESA and NASA have solidified their partnership for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission, with NASA contributing crucial elements such as launch services, propulsion systems for Mars landing, and heater units for the rover.
The new Memorandum of Understanding formalises this collaboration, aiming for a 2028 launch to search for signs of past and present life on Mars. Despite challenges like the discontinuation of cooperation with Roscosmos, ESA, along with its Member States and European industry, reshaped the mission with new partnerships. Notable updates include NASA providing lightweight radioisotope heater units for the rover, while Europe continues work on its own RHU development.
ESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration Daniel Neuenschwander emphasises the significance of this agreement in ensuring the mission’s success. The Rosalind Franklin rover, equipped with unique drilling capabilities, aims to acquire samples from depths of up to two metres below the Martian surface, serving as a crucial step in humanity’s quest to explore Mars and demonstrate key technologies for future missions.
NASA’s Nicola Fox underscores the mission’s scientific importance in uncovering evidence of past life on Mars and strengthening the partnership between the United States and Europe in space exploration. The next milestone is the rover’s system preliminary design review scheduled for June 2024.
