Airbus to build Mars lander for safe delivery of rover to Red Planet surface
The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that it has awarded Airbus the contract to design and construct the landing platform for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover.
From its UK base, Airbus will design the mechanical, thermal and propulsion systems for the lander to ensure the rover is delivered safely to the Red Planet’s surface in 2030.
Construction of the lander will include the landing structure, the large propulsion system used to provide the final braking thrust, and the landing gear to ensure the lander is stable on touchdown.
The lander will feature two ramps that will be deployed on opposite sides to enable the rover to be driven onto the Martian surface using the least risky route.
ESA will launch the lander in 2028 aboard a NASA-supplied launcher. Upon arrival on Mars, the rover will drill to a depth of up to two meters below the surface.
ESARosalind Franklin will be the first rover to drill to that depth, allowing collection of samples buried underground, protected from surface radiation and extreme temperatures.
Airbus previously designed and built the Rosalind Franklin rover and delivered it to the project’s prime contractor Thales Alenia Space (TAS) in 2019. TAS is a joint venture between the companies Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%).
“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,” said Kata Escott, Managing Director Airbus Defense and Space UK on March 29, 2025.
Escott added: “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.”
ESA has described landing on Mars as “one of the mission’s most critical challenges,” with atmospheric entry to touchdown lasting just six minutes.
“A set of parachutes and retro rockets will slow down the lander from 45m/s to less than 3m/s just before touchdown. Two ramps will extend from opposite sides of the lander, offering the rover multiple pathways to reach the surface using the safest available route,” ESA explained.
NASA will provide Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) to keep the rover warm on the Martian surface, as well as a new software mode enabling the rover to quickly transition into an autonomous state after landing.
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The post Airbus to build Mars lander for safe delivery of rover to Red Planet surface appeared first on AeroTime.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that it has awarded Airbus the contract to design and construct…
The post Airbus to build Mars lander for safe delivery of rover to Red Planet surface appeared first on AeroTime.
