Airbus Develops Landing Platform for European Mars Rover

The European aerospace corporation Airbus has been tasked with constructing a landing platform for the Rosalind Franklin rover, part of the European Space Agency's (ESA) ExoMars mission. This rover is designed to search for signs of life on Mars, both past and present.

According to Airbus, both the rover and the landing platform will be developed at their facility in Stevenage, UK. The company emphasizes that the platform will ensure a safe landing on Mars after the rover navigates through the planet's atmosphere and undergoes a parachute-assisted descent.

The landing system will comprise several critical components, including a robust landing structure, a large thrust system for the final braking maneuver, and a stable landing gear. The design also features two ramps on opposite sides of the platform, enabling the rover to disembark onto the Martian surface with minimal risk.

The Rosalind Franklin rover is notable for being the first of its kind capable of analyzing samples from up to two meters beneath the Martian surface. This capability aims to enhance the search for biological evidence on the planet.

The ESA plans to launch this Mars mission in 2028, utilizing a rocket provided by NASA. The rover's landing is scheduled for 2030, with the mission being led by Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between defense contractors Thales and Leonardo.

Landing on Mars is a highly complex undertaking. The Airbus platform must protect the rover from the intense heat generated during atmospheric entry and decelerate from high speeds to facilitate a soft landing. The ExoMars landing system is designed to reduce the landing speed from 45 meters per second at the end of the parachute descent phase to less than three meters per second just before touchdown, employing retro-rockets for this crucial deceleration.