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This topic is available for NewMars members who might wish to report on progress of the Rosalind Franklin rover.
The opening report is about selection of Airbus to build the landing system.
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Post #3: Article on selection of Airbus to provide landing system for rober
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https://interestingengineering.com/spac … oup=test_a
Airbus to build Mars lander in Europe’s quest to finally reach the Red Planet
Airbus teams in Stevenage will design mechanical, thermal and propulsion systems to ensure the rover’s safe Mars landing.
Updated: Mar 31, 2025 04:11 PM EST
Photo of the Author Neetika Walter
Neetika WalterAirbus to build Mars lander in Europe’s quest to finally reach the Red Planet
Rosalind Franklin, previously known as the ExoMars rover.ESA
The European Space Agency has awarded £150m to Airbus UK to complete the touchdown system for the Rosalind Franklin rover, the first European Martian rover scheduled for 2028 launch.
The contract, which is funded through the UK Space Agency, is likely to attract international investment and sustain 200 high-skilled jobs in the UK space sector.
The ESA’s Martian rover will use a nuclear-powered device to function in the hostile Martian environment, where temperatures can drop to as low as -100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The rover will stay warm using innovative radioisotope heater units (RHUs). These RHUs use decaying isotopes like americium-241 to generate heat and electricity for spacecraft.
Named after the scientist key to DNA’s discovery, the UK-built rover will drill 2 meters into Mars to collect ice samples protected from radiation and extreme temperatures.
Unlocking Mars’ ancient secrets
Its mission is to search for ancient life, like fossilized microbes, and uncover clues about our solar system’s origins.
The mission relies on advanced UK robotics and autonomous navigation, also useful for extreme Earth environments like nuclear plants and deep oceans.
“This is humanity defining science, and the best opportunity to find if past life once existed on Mars,” Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said in a statement.
“The ripple effects of space exploration discoveries extend far beyond the realm of space exploration, driving progress and prosperity across multiple sectors in the UK, and inspiring technological advances to benefit us all.”
Airbus teams in Stevenage, under contract from Thales Alenia Space, will design mechanical, thermal, and propulsion systems to ensure the rover’s safe landing on the Red Planet.
They will also build the landing structure, the large propulsion system for final braking, and the landing gear to ensure a stable landing of the rover during touchdown.
Two ramps will be deployed on opposite sides of the lander to ensure the safest descent route for the rover.
Groundbreaking UK Technology
Several universities across the UK are involved in the development and launch of the rover.
Scientists from University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, along with teams from Aberystwyth University, Birkbeck College, and Leicester University, are developing the panoramic camera (PanCam) system for the rover.
Aberystwyth researchers are also building an infrared spectrometer to identify the most promising rocks for drilling and testing for signs of ancient life.
Airbus Defence and Space UK Managing Director Kata Escott said that while the mission is challenging, it will significantly boost the UK’s space expertise.
“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,” Escott said in a release.
Airbus designed and built the rover in the bio-burden cleanroom in Stevenage before delivering it to Thales Alenia Space in 2019.
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Inspired by Oldfart1939's current visit to Europe, I asked Gemini to create a summary of the attempts by ESA to land on Mars. I was surprised to learn (for example) that Beagle actually landed but it failed to deploy its solar panels correctly.
ESA Mars Landing Experience & Landing Heritage Review
A member of our forum traveling in Europe may have the opportunity to engage with ESA representatives or contacts. To support those discussions, here is a technical review of the European Space Agency's (ESA) history with Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) architectures, compared against the landing techniques demonstrated by NASA, CNSA (China), and the Soviet space program. While ESA maintains an exceptional record in Martian orbit—with Mars Express active since 2003 and the Trace Gas Orbiter active since 2016—its physical touchdown attempts on the surface highlight how narrow the margin for error remains in Mars EDL mechanics.
1. Beagle 2 (2003) - Airbag and Petal System
Technique Used: Atmospheric entry heat shield -> Dual parachutes (drogue and main) -> Gas-bag (airbag) cushioning system -> Clamshell "petal" deployment.
Heritage Class: Similar to NASA Pathfinder (1997) and the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity (2004).
Outcome: Soft landing successful; post-landing mechanical failure.
Technical Summary: Carried as a piggyback payload on ESA Mars Express, Beagle 2 separated smoothly and entered the Martian atmosphere. For over a decade, it was presumed destroyed upon impact. However, in 2015, high-resolution imagery from NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (HiRISE) revealed that Beagle 2 had successfully landed intact in Isidis Planitia. The failure was structural-mechanical: two of its four solar "petals" failed to unfold completely. Because its RF communications antenna was situated beneath the final solar panel, the lander was unable to transmit signals back to Earth or Mars Express.
2. Schiaparelli EDM (2016) - Closed-Loop Retro-Rockets
Technique Used: Heat shield -> Supersonic parachute -> Radar altimeter guidance -> Hydrazine retro-rockets (3 clusters of 3 engines) -> Crushable underside structure.
Heritage Class: Similar to NASA Viking 1 and 2 (1976), Phoenix (2008), and InSight (2018), as well as China Zhurong / Tianwen-1 platform (2021).
Outcome: Atmospheric entry successful; terminal descent guidance failure.
Technical Summary: The Schiaparelli Entry, Descent, and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM) was launched with the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter to validate ESA automated landing technology. The entry and parachute phases performed as designed. However, during parachute inflation, an unexpectedly high rotational rate caused the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to saturate (reach its maximum sensor measurement limit). When fed into the guidance computer, this saturation calculated a negative altitude value—interpreting that the lander was below ground level. The system prematurely released the parachute and fired its retro-rockets for only 3 seconds instead of 30 seconds before shutting them down, causing the module to free-fall from an altitude of roughly 3.7 kilometers.
3. ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Rover Mission
Technique Used: Supersonic parachutes -> Controlled throttleable retro-rocket descent stage -> Touchdown platform deployment.
Heritage Class: Soft-landing retro-propulsion platform.
Outcome: In active development (targeted launch window: late 2028).
Technical Summary: Originally planned as a joint endeavor with Roscosmos (utilizing the Russian-built Kazachok lander platform), the program was restructured. ESA redesigned the landing architecture with substantial collaboration from NASA (providing launch services, radioisotope heater units, and landing system components).
Comparison of Global Mars Landing Architectures
NASA (USA): Airbags, Legged Soft-Landers, Sky Crane. (Successes: Viking 1 & 2, Pathfinder, Spirit, Opportunity, Phoenix, Curiosity, InSight, Perseverance)
CNSA (China): Parachute -> Laser/Optical Obstacle Avoidance Retro-Rockets -> Legged Lander. (Successes: Tianwen-1 / Zhurong Rover in 2021)
Soviet Space Program (USSR): Parachute + Terminal Retro-Rockets. (Successes: Mars 3 in 1971 - soft landed, transmitted for 20 seconds)
ESA (Europe): Airbag / Clamshell (Beagle 2), Retro-Rocket Testbed (Schiaparelli). (Successes: Beagle 2 soft landed intact; solar array deployment failed)
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