ExoMars Rover (Rosalind Franklin)

ExoMars 2022 [ESA]

ExoMars Rover (Rosalind Franklin) [ESA]

ExoMars is a Mars exploration mission developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), with major industrial contributions led by Thales Alenia Space Italia and Airbus Defence and Space. The programme consists of an orbiter launched in 2016 and a rover mission centered on the Rosalind Franklin rover, designed to search for evidence of past or present life on Mars.

The mission’s primary objective is to determine whether life ever existed on Mars. The first element, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), studies trace atmospheric gases such as methane that may indicate biological or geological activity. The second element, the Rosalind Franklin rover, focuses on in situ astrobiology and geology, including subsurface sampling down to 2 m depth to avoid radiation-altered surface material.

The rover carries the Pasteur payload, a suite of instruments dedicated to exobiology research. The rover is designed to traverse several kilometers, covering approximately 50–100 m per Martian day, and employs advanced mobility techniques such as wheel-walking to traverse difficult terrain.

Following instruments are on board of the rover:

• CLUPI: Close-UP Imager Enfys: Infrared Spectrometer for ExoMars
• Ma_MISS: Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies
• MicrOmega: visible plus infrared imaging spectrometer
• MOMA: Mars Organic Molecule Analyser
• PanCam: Panoramic Camera
• RLS: Raman Spectrometer
• WISDOM: Water Ice and Subsurface Deposit Observation On Mars

The ExoMars spacecraft architecture consists of a Carrier Module (CM) and a Descent Module Composite (DMC). The CM supports cruise and Mars orbit operations, providing propulsion, power, and communications before releasing the DMC. The DMC performs entry, descent, and landing (EDL) using a heatshield, parachute system, and descent thrusters. After release, the CM follows a destructive trajectory into the Martian atmosphere.

Originally, the surface platform included the Kazachok lander developed by Roscosmos via NPO Lavochkin, carrying geophysical instruments including the Humboldt payload. Following the termination of ESA–Roscosmos cooperation in 2022 due to geopolitical developments, ESA initiated development of a new European lander, and the Humboldt payload was removed. The lander retains functions for rover deployment and surface support systems.

The revised mission includes a new European landing platform, the European Entry Descent and Landing Module (EDLM), developed by Airbus Defence and Space in Stevenage, replacing the former Kazachok lander after the end of cooperation with Roscosmos. The EDLM performs the full entry, descent, and landing sequence using a heatshield, parachutes, and throttable braking engines provided by NASA, reducing velocity from about 45 m/s to below 3 m/s before touchdown. After landing, two ramps deploy on opposite sides to enable rover egress depending on terrain. The platform is not designed for long-term surface operations and lacks dedicated solar power, ceasing activity a few sols after deployment. During this period, it collects atmospheric data using the PACIS (Platform Atmospheric Characterisation Instrument Suite) instrument suite, including pressure, temperature, and acoustic measurements.

The Rosalind Franklin rover has a mass of approximately 310 kg and dimensions of about 2 m in height and 2.5 m in width. Its subsurface drill system is capable of reaching depths of 2 m, enabling analysis of preserved organic material. Engineering sensors used during EDL will also provide scientific data on the Martian atmosphere.

The programme originated as part of ESA’s Aurora Exploration Programme. The first mission (TGO and the Schiaparelli EDL demonstrator) launched in 2016. The rover mission experienced multiple delays: from 2018 to 2020 due to technical issues, then to 2022 for parachute and electronics qualification.

The mission has undergone a complex and shifting launch architecture. It was initially planned to launch aboard an Atlas-5(551)¹ provided by NASA. After NASA withdrew from the programme, ESA restructured the mission in cooperation with Russia, baselining a launch on a Proton-M Briz-M (Ph.3) upper stage. This configuration remained in place until 2022, when cooperation with Roscosmos was suspended following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leaving the mission without a launch vehicle and landing system.

A revised mission architecture is now being developed in renewed cooperation with NASA under the Rosalind Franklin Support and Augmentation (ROSA) framework. The mission is currently planned for launch in 2028 from Cape Canaveral using a Falcon-Heavy (Block 5)(px) launch vehicle.