BREMEN: NASA has formally confirmed its renewed support for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) long-delayed Rosalind Franklin Mars rover, clearing a major hurdle for the mission’s revised 2028 launch schedule, ESA announced.
The rover — named after pioneering British scientist Rosalind Franklin — is designed to become the first on Mars capable of drilling up to two metres beneath the planet’s surface, searching for signs of past or present extra-terrestrial life.
The project has faced repeated setbacks. Initially slated for launch in 2020, the mission was derailed in 2022 after ESA ended its partnership with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. ESA subsequently turned to NASA to fill critical technical gaps, according to AFP.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said he received an official letter confirming NASA’s contributions, calling the development “good news” during remarks at ESA’s ministerial council meeting in Bremen, Germany.
NASA will now provide three key components- the launcher, a radioisotope heater unit, and a braking engine (previously confirmed).
In addition, NASA will supply a scientific instrument designed to analyse potential traces of life on Mars.
Despite political uncertainty and US budget pressures, including cuts ordered by President Donald Trump since returning to office in January, NASA’s commitment offers renewed momentum for the mission.
If the revised schedule holds, the Rosalind Franklin rover is expected to touch down on Mars in 2030, marking a major step forward in Europe’s search for life beyond Earth.
