House » TRAVEL NEWS » Airbus to Pave the Manner for Historic Mars Mission with Key Programs for ExoMars Lander and Protected Deployment of Rosalind Franklin Rover
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Airbus has been chosen by the European House Company (ESA) and Thales Alenia House (TAS), the ExoMars industrial prime contractor, to develop very important techniques for the ExoMars lander. These techniques will make sure the secure placement of the Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars’ floor.
Kata Escott, Managing Director Airbus Defence and House UK mentioned: “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 Expertise Secretary Peter Kyle mentioned: “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.”
Beneath contract with Thales Alenia House (TAS), the chief of the Rosalind Franklin mission, Airbus groups in Stevenage will design the mechanical, thermal, and propulsion techniques required for the touchdown platform to make sure a secure landing in 2030. These techniques will embody the touchdown construction, the massive propulsion system for ultimate braking thrust, and the touchdown gear, all important for stabilizing the lander upon impression. The lander will probably be geared up with two ramps on reverse sides, permitting the rover to drive onto the Martian floor utilizing the most secure route.
Airbus’ Stevenage workforce has designed and constructed over 120 propulsion techniques for greater than 90 spacecraft, delivering chemical, electrical, and chilly fuel techniques for telecoms, Earth commentary, science, and exploration missions. For ExoMars, the touchdown system might want to decelerate the platform from 45m/s on the finish of the parachute descent part to lower than 3m/s earlier than landing, counting on retro rockets.
Airbus additionally designed and constructed the Rosalind Franklin rover in Stevenage’s bio-burden cleanroom earlier than delivering it to TAS in 2019. Whereas the launch was initially set for 2022, the mission needed to be delayed as a result of Russian-Ukraine battle.
In preparation for the deliberate 2028 launch, Airbus is collaborating with TAS, ESA, and NASA to take care of and improve key parts of the rover. This consists of integrating NASA-provided Radioisotope Heater Models (RHUs) to make sure the rover stays heat on Mars’ floor and implementing new software program to allow the rover to swiftly transition into an autonomous state after touchdown. The rover is ready to land on Mars in 2030 to keep away from the planet’s international mud season.
