Europe Embarks on Another Mars Exploration Mission. The ExoMars mission, which includes sending a mobile robot to the Red Planet, has just reached a significant milestone.
Model of the Rosalind probe in Stevenage, UK. (Photo: AFP/VNA).
According to a correspondent in Europe, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Thales Alenia Space, a French-Italian company, announced on April 9 the signing of a contract worth 522 million euros to undertake this mission, with the goal of launching the Rosalind probe by the end of 2028.
The framework contract signed by Thales Alenia Space includes the development of the launch and landing modules, as well as maintenance and upgrades for the vehicles produced for the 2022 mission. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will also collaborate on this mission.
According to ESA, the probe will autonomously navigate the surface of Mars and drill deeper than any previous Mars missions. The robot will explore the Martian surface to answer a long-standing question humanity has posed: has there ever been life on this planet?
Designed to drill up to two meters beneath the Martian surface, the probe will collect and analyze samples to detect signs of past or present life. Daniel Neuenschwander, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration at ESA, stated that this is a crucial step in the ongoing Mars exploration process.
ExoMars is scheduled to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida between October and December 2028, with a landing on Mars expected in 2030.
