In a landmark move for space exploration, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have finalized an agreement to collaborate on the highly anticipated Mars rover mission. This partnership marks a significant step forward in humanity's quest to unravel the mysteries of the Red Planet.
The agreement, signed at ESA's Paris headquarters on May 16, 2024, outlines NASA's commitment to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars in support of ESA's ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission, slated for launch in 2028. This cooperation is a testament to the agencies' shared vision for space science and exploration.
Under the terms of the agreement, NASA will provide critical components for the mission, including throttleable braking engines for a new descent stage and radioisotope heating units (RHUs). These RHUs are essential for keeping the spacecraft warm, utilizing heat generated from the decay of plutonium-238. The agreement also stipulates that the rover will be launched from the United States aboard a vehicle procured by NASA.
Artist's concept of ExoMars rover on Mars. ESA
Originally, the mission's landing platform and launch were to be provided by Roscosmos. However, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, ESA terminated its partnership with the Russian space agency. In response, ESA has taken on the development of a new landing system, awarding a contract to Thales Alenia Space to resume work on the mission.
An artist's concept portrays a NASA Mars Exploration Rover on the surface of Mars. Rovers Opportunity and Spirit were launched a few weeks apart in 2003 and landed in January 2004 at two sites on Mars.
The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover is named after the pioneering scientist whose work was crucial to understanding the structure of DNA. The rover will carry on Franklin's legacy of discovery by drilling up to two meters below the Martian surface to collect samples. These samples, shielded from surface radiation and extreme temperatures, could provide invaluable insights into the possibility of past life on Mars.
Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA’s director of human and robotic exploration, expressed enthusiasm for the agreement, stating that it "strengthens our collaborative efforts for the ExoMars program and ensures that the Rosalind Franklin rover will set its wheels on Martian soil in 2030". Nicola Fox, associate administrator for science at NASA, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the rover's "unique drilling capabilities and onboard samples laboratory" as having "outstanding scientific value for humanity’s search for evidence of past life on Mars".
The next major milestone for the mission is the rover’s system preliminary design review, scheduled for June 2024. With this agreement in place, the path is set for a new era of Mars exploration, one that promises to deepen our understanding of our celestial neighbor and the broader cosmos.
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