National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and SpaceX to launch European Space Agency (ESA) Rosalind Franklin Mars rover

Key facts

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed that SpaceX will launch the European Space Agency (ESA) Rosalind Franklin Mars rover as soon as late 2028.
• The mission will be launched using a Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• The Rosalind Franklin rover is expected to reach Mars in 2030.
• The mission will be the first to extract and analyse soil samples from as deep as 6 feet (2 metres) into the Martian crust.
• The rover features novel mobility capabilities, including six-wheel steering and wheel walking.
• NASA is providing a mass spectrometer to analyse Martian soil, braking engines for landing, and nuclear-powered heaters for the electronics.
• The rover was built by Airbus in the United Kingdom, the carrier spacecraft was manufactured by OHB in Germany, and Thales Alenia Space of Italy is responsible for the overall assembly.