Rosalind Franklin (rover)
ExoMars rover design, 2010 | |
| Mission type | Mars rover |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA |
| Website | www.esa.int/...ExoMars |
| Mission duration | ≥ 7 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Astrium · Airbus |
| Launch mass | 310 kg (680 lb) |
| Power | 1200 W·h/d solar array, 1142 W·h Lithium-ion battery |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2028 |
| Rocket | U.S Commercial Vehicle. |
| Mars rover | |
| Landing date | NET 2029 |
| Landing site | Oxia Planum |
ExoMars programme | |
Rosalind Franklin, previously known as the ExoMars rover, is a planned robotic Mars rover, part of the international ExoMars programme led by the European Space Agency (ESA). The rover is named after Rosalind Franklin, a British chemist and DNA research pioneer.
The mission was scheduled to launch in July 2020 in cooperation with the Russian Roscosmos, and was later postponed to 2022. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused a delay of the programme, as the member states of the ESA voted to suspend the joint mission with Russia. in July 2022, ESA terminated its cooperation on the project with Russia. As of May 2022, the launch of the rover was not expected to occur before 2028 due to the need for a new non-Russian landing platform. In 2024, the mission received additional funding to restart and complete the mission. The award went to Thales Alenia Space and launch was scheduled for 2028. ESA also signed an agreement with NASA to procure a US launch vehicle for the mission.