A twist for the Rosalind Franklin mission: after years of delays and partner changes, the European rover finally has a launch date and a designated launcher. It is neither an Atlas V nor a Russian rocket that will take it to Mars, but SpaceX's Falcon Heavy – a first for Elon Musk's company. This powerful launcher, already used for the Europa Clipper probe, will carry the robot in search of traces of life on the red planet.
This adventure has had a chaotic journey. Initially planned for 2018 in partnership with NASA, the project had to reorient itself after the American withdrawal for budgetary reasons. The European Space Agency then turned to Russia, which provided a landing platform and instruments. But the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 ended this collaboration, forcing ESA to seek another ally. NASA came back into the game in 2024.
Illustration of ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars.
Credit: ESA/ATG medialab This time, the American agency has committed to providing a commercial launcher and part of the propulsion system, as well as radiators to protect the rover from frigid Martian nights. A state-of-the-art mass spectrometer will also be integrated to analyze samples collected in the Oxia Planum region, an area rich in clays that may have harbored life. These instruments will allow scientists to search for the building blocks of life in the Martian soil.
The launch is scheduled for late 2028 from Cape Canaveral. SpaceX will use its Falcon Heavy rocket, a monster with three reusable first stages. This launcher has already proven its reliability with eleven successful missions, including the recent Europa Clipper probe. This is the first time SpaceX has secured a contract for a Mars mission, a key milestone for the company's ambitions. The rover, named in honor of scientist Rosalind Franklin, will dig into the soil to collect samples.
Meanwhile, SpaceX is also working on its own super-heavy spacecraft capable of reaching Mars: the Starship. This vehicle has already completed several test flights, but it has not yet reached orbit nor mastered in-flight refueling, which is essential for interplanetary travel. Elon Musk plans to send a fleet of Starships to Mars, but the date remains uncertain. The next realistic launch window opens in 2028, the same one Rosalind Franklin will use.
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket launches NASA's Europa Clipper mission from Florida on October 14, 2024.
Credit: SpaceX
Launch windows to Mars open only every 26 months. The next one arrives this October, too early for Starship. The Rosalind Franklin rover and SpaceX's Martian ambitions will therefore have to wait until 2028. A year that promises to be busy for exploration of the Red Planet. This delay gives the necessary time to finalize preparations and test hardware.
With this contract, SpaceX crosses a symbolic threshold. The company founded to colonize Mars is finally beginning to send missions there on behalf of space agencies. It remains to be seen whether Starship can follow the same path within a few years. In the meantime, the Rosalind Franklin rover will carry Europe's hopes in its quest for extraterrestrial life.
The Falcon Heavy
The Falcon Heavy is currently the most powerful launcher in commercial service. It consists of three Falcon 9 first stages strapped side by side, allowing it to lift heavy payloads to distant destinations. Its two side boosters can land vertically to be reused, reducing costs. This launcher notably sent the Europa Clipper probe to Jupiter. For the Rosalind Franklin mission, it will provide the thrust needed to send the rover toward Mars.
The choice of Falcon Heavy for this mission is a recognition of its reliability. SpaceX has performed eleven launches with this vehicle, all successful. Its use for a Mars mission marks a first for the company, which had never before been selected for this type of contract. This opens the door to further interplanetary collaborations for SpaceX.
Although the Falcon Heavy is powerful, SpaceX is mainly betting on its successor, the Starship, for future missions to Mars. Starship is designed to be fully reusable and capable of carrying large amounts of cargo and crew. But before that, crucial steps such as orbital refueling must be mastered.
The quest for life on Mars
The Rosalind Franklin rover is designed to search for signs of past or present life on Mars. It is equipped with a drill capable of digging up to 6.6 feet (2 meters) deep, where cosmic radiation has not destroyed organic molecules. The samples will be analyzed by an onboard laboratory, including a mass spectrometer provided by NASA. This approach is unique because it explores the Martian subsurface.
The chosen landing site is Oxia Planum, a region rich in clays. These minerals form in the presence of water, a key element for life. Scientists hope to find organic molecules there, the building blocks of life. If these molecules are detected, it will not necessarily prove the existence of life, but it will indicate that conditions were favorable.
The Rosalind Franklin mission is the result of international collaboration. After Russia's withdrawal, NASA took on a key role again by funding the launcher and instruments. This rover is Europe's first to land on Mars. Its success could pave the way for a Martian sample return mission, a priority for space agencies.