Airbus to Design and Build ESA’s ExoMars Rover Lander Platform

Airbus has been chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Thales Alenia Space (TAS—a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%)), the main industrial contractor for ExoMars, to construct essential systems for the ExoMars lander. This lander will safely deliver the Rosalind Franklin rover to the surface of Mars.

After entering and descending through Mars' atmosphere, followed by a parachute-assisted braking phase, the landing platform will perform a secure landing on Mars' surface and facilitate the rover's deployment onto the terrain.

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 are 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 a contract with TAS, the leaders of the Rosalind Franklin mission, Airbus teams in Stevenage will be responsible for designing the mechanical, thermal, and propulsion systems needed for the landing platform to ensure a safe touchdown in 2030. This includes the landing structure, the large propulsion system for the final braking thrust, and the landing gear to stabilize the lander upon touchdown. The lander will be equipped with two ramps that will deploy on opposite sides, allowing the rover to drive onto the Martian surface via the safest route.

The Airbus teams in Stevenage have developed and constructed over 120 propulsion systems for more than 90 spacecraft, supplying chemical, electric, and cold gas systems for telecommunications, Earth observation, scientific, and exploration missions. The ExoMars landing system must decelerate the landing platform from 45 m/s after the parachute descent phase to under 3 m/s before landing, utilizing retro rockets.

Airbus developed and constructed the Rosalind Franklin rover in the bio-burden cleanroom located in Stevenage, and then handed it over to TAS in 2019. The launch was initially set for 2022, but the mission was delayed because of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Airbus is collaborating with TAS, ESA, and NASA to sustain and enhance different components of the Rosalind Franklin rover in anticipation of its scheduled launch in 2028 using a launcher supplied by NASA. This collaboration involves integrating Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) provided by NASA to maintain the rover's temperature on Mars and developing a new software mode to enable the rover to swiftly switch to an autonomous state post-landing. The rover is expected to land on Mars in 2030 to circumvent the planet's global dust season.