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Airbus to Construct ExoMars Landing Platform Following Shift from Russian Collaboration
WASHINGTON – Airbus Defence and Space has been selected to construct the landing platform for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars rover mission. This development comes as Airbus steps in to furnish a crucial element originally intended to be supplied by Russia for the Mars exploration endeavor.
Contract Award for Landing System
Airbus officially declared on March 28 (Eastern time) its selection by ESA and Thales Alenia Space, the primary contractor overseeing the ExoMars project, to develop the landing platform. This platform is vital for the rover mission, which is currently slated for launch in 2028.
Landing Platform Functionality
The landing platform constitutes the portion of the ExoMars spacecraft responsible for the concluding phases of its descent onto the Martian terrain in 2030. Its functions include executing the final landing burn and, upon successful touchdown, deploying ramps. These ramps will enable the ExoMars rover, named Rosalind Franklin, to disembark onto the surface of Mars and commence its scientific operations.
Financial Details and Mission Context
While Airbus has not yet disclosed the financial value of this specific contract, it is known that ESA awarded Thales Alenia Space a significant contract worth 522 million euros ($565 million) in April 2024. This funding aimed to reactivate mission preparations, which had been suspended in March 2022 in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Initially, Russia was designated to provide the landing platform and facilitate the mission launch using a Proton rocket.
Airbus UK’s Role and Expertise
“Successfully delivering the Rosalind Franklin rover to the Martian surface represents a substantial global undertaking and marks the culmination of over two decades of dedicated effort,” stated Kata Escott, Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space U.K., in a released statement regarding the contract award. Airbus will undertake the construction of the landing platform at its facility in Stevenage, England. This site also served as the assembly location for the Rosalind Franklin rover itself.
“We take pride in having meticulously assembled the rover within our advanced clean room facility in Stevenage and are now pleased to expand our contributions to this project, ensuring its secure arrival and deployment on Mars,” Escott added.
NASA Contributions to ExoMars
The ExoMars mission will also incorporate key contributions from NASA. Under an agreement finalized in May 2024, NASA is set to supply throttlable braking engines for integration into the landing platform. Furthermore, NASA will provide radioisotope heating units (RHUs), which contain minute quantities of plutonium-238. The natural decay of this material generates heat, crucial for maintaining the rover’s operational temperature in the frigid Martian environment.
Launch Implications of RHUs
The inclusion of RHUs necessitates that the ExoMars mission launch from the United States. NASA will be responsible for procuring an appropriate launch vehicle at a future date to accommodate this requirement.
Scientific Objectives on Mars
Once operational on Mars, the Rosalind Franklin rover will utilize its suite of scientific instruments to search for indications of both past and present Martian life. A key component of the rover’s capabilities is a sophisticated drill, engineered to penetrate up to two meters beneath the surface, accessing subsurface samples for analysis.
International Significance of the Mission
“This mission embodies science of paramount importance to humanity, presenting the most compelling opportunity to ascertain whether life once existed on Mars,” remarked Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the U.K. Space Agency, in a statement accompanying the Airbus contract announcement.