Europe’s Rosalind Franklin rover, which was previously scheduled to launch in 2020, has faced delays due to the suspension of the partnership between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russian space agency Roscosmos following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, NASA has stepped in to help by providing launch services, parts of the landing propulsion system, and a portion of the heating system for the rover.
The rover is now set to launch in 2028 and will be part of Europe’s ExoMars program. It will drill deeper into the Martian surface than any previous rover, collecting samples from as deep as 2 meters. The rover will search for evidence of past life on Mars and will be equipped with the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer to detect organic molecules in the samples.
The rover program is currently undergoing a review to ensure that the system meets requirements before launch planning begins. Once the review is complete, the rover will be ready to embark on its mission to Mars in 2028.
