Nasa has confirmed it will continue supporting the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin Mars rover, which is now slated for a 2028 launch after a series of setbacks. The ESA announced the update on Wednesday during its ministerial council meeting in Bremen.
The rover is designed to become the first on Mars capable of drilling up to two metres beneath the surface in search of signs of life. Its success, however, depends on several components provided by Nasa at a time when the agency faces major budget cuts under the Trump administration.
ESA director general Josef Aschbacher said he had received written confirmation from Nasa affirming its contributions to the mission. He noted that Nasa will supply key elements, including the launcher, a radioisotope heater unit and the braking engine. While the braking engine had been agreed upon earlier, confirmation of the remaining components offered significant reassurance to the agency.
Nasa will also provide a scientific instrument to help analyse potential traces of life on Mars. The project, originally scheduled to launch in 2020, has endured repeated delays. In 2022, the ESA suspended the mission after ending its partnership with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, prompting the agency to seek US collaboration.
The rover, named after British scientist Rosalind Franklin, is expected to land on the Martian surface in 2030.
