The European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin rover is due to launch in 2028 and has a planned arrival on Mars in 2030, where it will bore two metres beneath the surface in search of ancient biological traces. The ESA is preparing the spacecraft for a journey of roughly 140 million miles to the Red Planet. Manufactured in Stevenage by Airbus, the spacecraft aims to answer whether life once existed on the Red Planet and whether terrestrial organisms share a common origin with Martian life through the concept of panspermia. She added that such a discovery would be “almost frightening to think about, because it changes everything,” and would forever alter how the universe is imagined.
Pandemic and conflict delay spacecraft launch timeline
That timeline slipped due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, which prompted the European Space Agency to cut ties with Russian supplier Roscosmos. NASA and the UK Space Agency subsequently stepped in to provide replacement components for the spacecraft. The project represents over a decade of preparation and an investment of about $1.3 billion, or approximately £980 million.
Rover targets ancient clay deposits at Oxia Planum
The rover will touch down at Oxia Planum near the Martian equator, a site chosen for its ancient clay-rich sedimentary deposits formed when liquid water flowed freely. Some research suggests the region may have been covered by a vast ocean billions of years ago. Professor Susanne Schwenzer, a field geologist for the ExoMars tests in Spain and planetary mineralogist at the Open University, noted that Oxia Planum has been studied from orbit and consists of layered terrain with the oldest layers at the bottom. Billions of years of cosmic radiation have sterilized the surface, meaning earlier rovers penetrating only a few inches stood little chance of detecting preserved biological material. This sterilization followed the collapse of the planet’s magnetic field roughly 3.7 billion years ago, which left Mars exposed to solar wind that stripped away its water and atmosphere.
Researchers test mineral identification tools in Spain
Both tools help identify minerals like clays formed in the presence of water, which can preserve organic compounds. The team has tested prototype versions of these instruments in Spain’s Tabernas Desert near Almería, whose layered terrain closely mimics the Martian landing site. Researchers from Aberystwyth’s computer science and physics departments have contributed to the mission for 15 years. To avoid risking flight equipment, the team uses “emulations” with a replica rover named “Charlie.”
Turin operations and autonomous navigation
During tests in Spain, operators simulated these delays by erasing footprints from the ground to eliminate terrestrial reference points. Activities are directed from the Rover Operations Control Centre in Turin, Italy, where staff including Aberystwyth postgraduate researcher Harry Marsh gain experience in international teamwork and mission procedures.
Frequently asked questions about the ExoMars mission
Why must the rover drill two meters deep?
Billions of years of cosmic radiation have sterilized the Martian surface, leaving earlier rovers that penetrated only a few inches little chance of detecting preserved biological material.
What caused the mission delay from 2022?
The COVID-19 pandemic caused initial delays, while the Russian invasion of Ukraine forced the European Space Agency to sever ties with Roscosmos and find replacement parts from NASA and the UK Space Agency.
How do scientists control the rover from Earth?
Operators at the European Space Agency control center in Turin send daily instructions to the vehicle, which must navigate autonomously because radio signals take between four and 21 minutes to reach Mars.
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