The rover was on its way to becoming a first for the European and Russian space agencies and a testament to international collaboration in space. The European Space Agency would build the rover and manage the procurement of its scientific instruments, including multiple contributions from NASA and other international partners. Russia would provide launch and landing services, including a landing platform, known as Kazachok, with its own suite of cameras and instruments to monitor the environment of Oxia Planum. The rover was on track for launch in September 2022.
Space Politics
Geopolitics plays a significant role in space exploration, influencing partnerships, stoking non-violent competition, and defining clear mission objectives. However, the impact of geopolitics does not always result in progress. Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Space Agency severed all ties with Roscosmos, including on the ExoMars program. With this decision, the rover was now without a way to get to the surface of Mars. The rover was put into storage and the Russian hardware, including two science instruments and the Kazachok lander, were returned to Roscosmos. In the intervening two years, the European Space Agency performed tests, maintained the rover and its components in storage, and searched for opportunities with industry and other space agencies to get the rover to the surface of Mars so it could perform its scientific search for life.
European Space Agency 🤝 NASA
In April 2024, ESA announced that the Rosalind Franklin Rover would be resurrected under the moniker ExoMars 2028. Key elements of the rover will be constructed by Thales Alenia Space, a renowned spacecraft manufacturer. The spacecraft will be launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking a further commitment from the United States to support ESA and their ExoMars program.