Thales Alenia Space has awarded aerospace company Airbus a contract to deliver key systems for the European Space Agency’s ExoMars lander. The Thales-Leonardo joint venture is the prime contractor for the ExoMars project, with the UK Space Agency funding the new deal as part of an initiative to replace Russian components in the mission.
The deal will see Airbus lead efforts to design the mechanical, thermal and propulsion systems for the landing platform, ensuring that the ExoMars’ Rosalind Franklin rover will land safely on Mars. The effort also covers delivering a landing structure, a vital component that would provide the final breaking thrust to ensure that the rover reaches Mars’ surface.
Airbus’ team in Stevenage, England, will oversee the effort. The team is behind over 20 propulsion systems for more than 90 spacecraft, supplying various missions with chemical, electric and cold gas systems. It is also responsible for manufacturing the rover, which was delivered to Thales Alenia Space in 2019 ahead of its original 2022 scheduled launch.
Kata Escott, managing director at Airbus Defence and Space UK, said the Rosalind Franklin rover’s arrival on Mars will be the culmination of two decades of development. “The mission will supercharge our space know-how in the U.K. and advance our collective understanding of our solar system,” she added.
The ExoMars mission aims to determine whether life ever existed on Mars. It is composed of two missions: a 2016 launch that deployed the Trace Gas Orbiter and the Schiaparelli descent and landing demonstrator module and the Rosalind Franklin rover effort, which is expected to launch by 2028.