UK to land Europe’s first rover on Mars
Airbus UK has secured a £150m contract to engineer the landing platform for Europe’s first Mars rover.
The Rosalind Franklin rover, which was built entirely in Stevenage, is scheduled to launch in 2028 and touch down on the red planet in 2030, marking a major milestone in European space exploration.
The mission, led by European Space Agency (ESA) with backing from NASA and the UK space agency, will explore Mars in search of past or present life.
Equipped with advanced robotics and autonomous navigation systems, the rover will drill two meters beneath the surface – far deeper than any previous Mars mission – to hunt for signs of ancient microbial life.
The UK’s contribution to the mission underscores the country’s growing influence in space technology, with 200 high-skilled jobs set to be supported by the contract.
The rover is the first European-built vehicle designed to operate on Mars.
Initially set to launch in 2022, the mission was delayed when ESA cut its ties with Russia, following its invasion of Ukraine.
Since then, UK and international partners have stepped in to replace its Russian components, with Airbus now developing the crucial landing system.
Technology secretary Peter Kyle hailed the deal as a symbol of Britain’s ambition in the space sector.
“Landing the first ever home-grown rover on Mars will not only help Britain make history but also bring hundreds of highly skilled jobs and investment as we secure our future through innovation”, he said.
Beyond its scientific goals, the feat is set to boost the UK’s space industry, which currently employs an estimated 50,000 people.
Dr Louisa J. Preston, a planetary scientist involved in the mission, said: “Rosalind Franklin will be the first to drill two meters into the Martian crust, analysing samples up to four billion years old. This could provide the first real evidence of past life beyond Earth.”
The UK space agency has also announced a new £17m national space innovation programme to support further research and technological developments.