Airbus Wins ExoMars Lander Contract

Airbus Defence and Space has secured a £150 million ($194 million) contract to build the landing platform for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars mission, which will deliver the Rosalind Franklin rover to the Martian surface. The announcement, made on March 28, 2025, marks a significant milestone in Europe’s efforts to explore Mars and search for signs of life on the Red Planet13.

Replacing Russian Cooperation with European Expertise

The ExoMars mission was originally planned as a joint European-Russian project, with Russia’s Roscosmos providing both the launch vehicle and the Kazachok landing platform. The mission was scheduled for launch in September 2022, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led ESA to completely sever cooperation with the country and reject all Russian components14.

After Russia’s departure from the project, the mission’s future was uncertain until ESA decided to proceed independently, with additional support from NASA. European officials committed an extra €360 million ($390 million) to rescue the mission, which has already cost approximately €1.3 billion ($1.35 billion)3.

“Getting the Rosalind Franklin rover onto the surface of Mars is a huge international challenge and the culmination of more than 20 years’ work,” said Kata Escott, Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space UK79.

The New Landing Platform

Under contract from Thales Alenia Space, the mission’s prime contractor, Airbus engineering teams based in Stevenage, UK, will design and develop the mechanical, thermal, and propulsion systems necessary for the landing platform57. Their work will include:

1. Creating the landing structure

2. Developing the large propulsion system that provides final braking thrust

3. Building landing gear to ensure stability upon touchdown

4. Designing two deployable ramps on opposite sides of the lander to enable the rover to safely reach the Martian surface467

The landing process on Mars will be extremely challenging, lasting just six minutes from atmospheric entry to touchdown. A combination of parachutes and retro rockets will slow the lander from 45 m/s to less than 3 m/s before it reaches the surface67.

NASA’s Critical Contributions

NASA has joined the project following ESA’s break with Russia. According to an agreement reached in May 2024, the U.S. space agency will provide:

1. Brake engines for the landing platform

2. Radioisotope heater units containing plutonium-238 to keep the rover warm in the harsh Martian environment

3. Launch services from Kennedy Space Center

4. New software to enable the rover to quickly transition into an autonomous state after landing167

U.S. law requires that missions containing radioisotope materials launch from U.S. territory, necessitating the change in launch location1.

The Rosalind Franklin Rover

The rover itself, named after the British DNA scientist Rosalind Franklin, was built by Airbus in Stevenage, UK, and delivered to Thales Alenia Space in 201957. It represents Europe’s first attempt to land a rover on Mars and features unique capabilities:

1. A drill designed to collect samples from up to two meters beneath the Martian surface

2. Scientific instruments to analyze these samples for biomarkers indicating past or present life

3. Protection from the harsh radiation and extreme temperatures that would destroy evidence of life on the surface249

British Technology Secretary Peter Kyle stated: “This inspiring example of world-class British science will bring us one step closer to answering long-asked questions on potential life on Mars. Landing the first ever home-grown rover on Mars, Airbus will not only help Britain make history and lead the European space race but also bring hundreds of highly skilled jobs and investment”9.

Third Time’s a Charm for European Mars Landings

The ExoMars mission will be Europe’s third attempt to successfully land on the Red Planet, following two previous unsuccessful missions:

1. Beagle 2, which reached Mars safely in 2003 but failed to establish contact due to a solar panel deployment issue

2. The Schiaparelli module, which crashed in 2016 because of a suspected software glitch3

Mission Timeline

The revamped ExoMars mission is now scheduled to launch between October and December 2028, with arrival at Mars expected in 203046. This timing has been carefully selected to avoid Mars’ global dust storm season7.

Once on the surface, the Rosalind Franklin rover will begin its search for signs of life, focusing particularly on obtaining samples from beneath the surface where organic materials would be protected from the harsh radiation environment69.

Dame Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE commented: “With its unique design that enables it to acquire samples at a depth of up to two meters, we may get answers to some of the fundamental questions we ask about Mars. Drilling to this depth allows us to look for life away from the hostile Martian surface where radiation is likely to kill life as we know it”49.

Economic Impact

The contract is expected to support approximately 200 high-skilled jobs in the UK space sector and attract international investment9. The UK space industry already employs around 50,000 people and has been identified as a key growth-driving sector in the government’s Industrial Strategy9.

This landmark mission represents not only a significant scientific opportunity but also a demonstration of European technological capabilities in space exploration, potentially paving the way for future planetary missions7.