Falcon Heavy | ExoMars 2028 Rosalind Franklin rover

mission

Name

ExoMars 2028 Rosalind Franklin Rover

Type

Robotic Exploration

Target orbit

Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A)

ExoMars 2028 is a second mission of two-part European Space Agency astrobiology project to search for evidence of life on Mars. The primary objective is to land the rover at a site with high potential for finding well-preserved organic material, particularly from the very early history of the planet. The rover is expected to travel several kilometers during its mission. The European rover will be the first mission to combine the capability to move across the surface and to study Mars at depth. It will collect samples with a drill down to a depth of 2 m and analyze them with next-generation instruments in an onboard laboratory. Underground samples are more likely to include biomarkers, since the tenuous martian atmosphere offers little protection from radiation and photochemistry at the surface.

schedule

NET (no earlier than)

Oct 31, 2028, 00:00 UTC

Window opens

Oct 31, 2028, 00:00 UTC

Window closes

Oct 31, 2028, 00:00 UTC

Last updated

Apr 16, 2026, 17:23 UTC

vehicle & provider

Rocket

Falcon Heavy

Family

Falcon

Variant

Heavy

Provider

SpaceX

Type

Commercial

Country

USA