Airbus has been chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Thales Alenia Space (TAS), the ExoMars industrial prime contractor, to develop vital systems for the ExoMars lander. These systems will ensure the safe placement of the Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars’ surface.

Following its entry and descent through Mars’ atmosphere, including a parachute-assisted braking phase, Airbus’ landing platform will guarantee a safe touchdown on Mars and facilitate the rover’s deployment onto the surface.

Kata Escott, Managing Director Airbus Defence and Space UK said: “Getting the Rosalind Franklin rover onto the surface of Mars is a huge international challenge and the culmination of more than 20 years’ work. We are proud to have built the rover in our state-of-the-art Stevenage cleanroom and delighted now to develop the project to ensure its safe delivery to Mars. Rosalind Franklin will be the first Martian rover able to analyse samples from two metres below the surface in its search for past or present life. The mission will supercharge our space know-how in the UK, and will advance our collective understanding of our solar system.”

UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “This inspiring example of world-class British science will bring us one step closer to answering long-asked questions on potential life on Mars. Landing the first ever home-grown rover on Mars, Airbus will not only help Britain make history and lead the European space race but also bring hundreds of highly skilled jobs and investment as we secure Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.”

Under contract with Thales Alenia Space (TAS), the leader of the Rosalind Franklin mission, Airbus teams in Stevenage will design the mechanical, thermal, and propulsion systems required for the landing platform to ensure a safe touchdown in 2030. These systems will include the landing structure, the large propulsion system for final braking thrust, and the landing gear, all essential for stabilizing the lander upon impact. The lander will be equipped with two ramps on opposite sides, allowing the rover to drive onto the Martian surface using the safest route.

Airbus’ Stevenage team has designed and built over 120 propulsion systems for more than 90 spacecraft, delivering chemical, electric, and cold gas systems for telecoms, Earth observation, science, and exploration missions. For ExoMars, the landing system will need to decelerate the platform from 45m/s at the end of the parachute descent phase to less than 3m/s before touchdown, relying on retro rockets.

Airbus also designed and constructed the Rosalind Franklin rover in Stevenage’s bio-burden cleanroom before delivering it to TAS in 2019. While the launch was initially set for 2022, the mission had to be delayed due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict.

In preparation for the planned 2028 launch, Airbus is collaborating with TAS, ESA, and NASA to maintain and upgrade key elements of the rover. This includes integrating NASA-provided Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) to ensure the rover remains warm on Mars’ surface and implementing new software to enable the rover to swiftly transition into an autonomous state after landing. The rover is set to land on Mars in 2030 to avoid the planet’s global dust season.

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