Airbus UK has been awarded £150 million by the European Space Agency (ESA) to build the landing system for the Rosalind Franklin rover, which is set to touch down on the red planet in 2030. Notably, Airbus UK was already building the rover, and now, they’ve been chosen to make the mechanical, thermal, and propulsion systems needed for the landing system.
The Rosalind Franklin rover is a key component in the ExoMars programme from ESA. The rover will be tasked with exploring the Martian surface to look for signs of ancient life, such as fossilized microbes. It will help unlock unknown answers around climate shifts and extraterrestrial life and has a unique component: a 2-metre drill that can dig below the surface in its search.
Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE said:
"The British-built Rosalind Franklin rover will give us vital insight into the history of Mars. This type of information from other planets can give us a better understanding of our own place in space and our planetary evolution.
With its unique design that enables it to acquire samples at depth of up to 2 metres, we may get answers to some of the fundamental questions we ask about Mars. Drilling to this depth allows us to look for life away from the hostile Martian surface where radiation is likely to kill life as we know it.
Samples gathered by the Rosalind Franklin rover may help us answer the age old question “Are we alone in the Universe?"
Aside from the scientific benefits, this contract will create around 200 high-skilled jobs in the space sector and attract international investment that will contribute to the economic growth of the UK. The technology itself, once developed, will also be useful for tasks on Earth, including in nuclear power plants and the deep ocean.
The ExoMars mission originally included Russia’s Roscosmos as a partner. It was originally going to design a lander for the rover called ‘Little Cossack’. Unfortunately, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ESA decided to pause the programme to find a new party to develop the lander; this is now Airbus UK’s job.
To date, there is no definitive evidence that life exists or ever existed on Mars. Hopefully, by sending the Rosalind Franklin rover there, we can finally get some answers to this long-standing question.
Source: UK Government
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