N° 21–2024: ESA to search for life on Mars with ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission

9 April 2024

ESA continues its quest to find signs of life beyond Earth with the announcement of significant progress in the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission. ESA has signed a pivotal procurement contract with Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, to build key elements of this ambitious Mars exploration mission.

Marking a crucial moment in interplanetary exploration, the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission is set to reignite Europe’s exploration of the Mars surface, an accomplishment made possible through the unwavering commitment of ESA and its members states alongside a reinvigorated collaboration with NASA.

With the mission's original scientific objectives firmly intact, the partnership aims to make unprecedented discoveries on the evolution of the Red Planet, the Solar System and possibly life itself, drilling and investigating deeper than any previous Mars mission.

"This is a significant milestone in our ongoing exploration of Mars," said ESA Director for Human and Robotic Exploration Daniel Neuenschwander. "The Rosalind Franklin mission represents a major step forward in our understanding of the Red Planet, combining cutting-edge technology with the collective expertise of our European industry and international partners. Together, we are committed to unlock the secrets of Mars and, perhaps, uncover evidence of life beyond Earth."

The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission will face both scientific and technological challenges, pushing the boundaries of innovation in space exploration. From the development of advanced materials for thermal protection during atmospheric entry to the intricacies of software for navigation and control, the mission is poised to revolutionise our understanding of Mars and the broader Solar System.

“We’re truly honoured that ESA has renewed its trust in our company by awarding us the contract for the renewal of this challenging mission to search for traces of life on Mars,” said Massimo Comparini, Deputy CEO and Senior Executive Vice President, Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space.

Scheduled for launch between October and December 2028 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission will deploy a European rover equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for autonomous exploration of the martian surface. Designed to drill up to two metres into the martian soil, the rover will collect and analyse samples to detect signs of past or present life, a major step in humankind's quest for answers about the origins of the Solar System.

The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has been a scientific powerhouse, exceeding its original operational lifespan. TGO continues to deliver valuable insights into the martian atmosphere and surface composition from orbit. It is also an essential asset for Mars exploration providing communications between rovers on the surface of Mars, such as NASA’s Perseverance rover, and Earth. Having surpassed its design lifetime, TGO will have its operational lifespan extended, allowing for future support to the Rosalind Franklin rover mission.

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About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia are Associate Members.

ESA has established formal cooperation with four Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int

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