ExoMars' Rosalind Franklin rover prepares for its first steps on Mars

The first steps of the Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars are being prepared in Turin. At Altec, the Thales Alenia Space team simulated one of the most delicate phases of the ExoMars 2028 mission: the rover's exit from the landing platform and passage onto the Martian surface. The tests reproduced different ramp and terrain configurations to verify procedures, performance and safety of the maneuver. The egress will in fact be one of the most delicate phases of the mission: after landing, the rover will have to go through a sequence of checks and decisions before being able to reach Martian soil. The most suitable configuration will depend on ground conditions, which cannot be fully predicted in advance.

For this reason, the campaign conducted in Turin simulated forward and backward exits, as well as scenarios with obstacles and irregular surfaces. A fundamental test bed to validate procedures and prepare teams for the operational decisions that will have to be taken directly during the mission.

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, leads the industrial organization and integration of the mission and is responsible for the Edlm, the on-board computer, the radar altimeter and the integration of the Analytical Laboratory Drawer. Airbus Defense and Space builds the rover and the Landing Platform; Leonardo supplies the drill and the Ma_Miss spectrometer; ArianeGroup, Ohb, Altec and the various Thales Alenia Space locations contribute to the development of the rover's aeroshell, Carrier Module, landing systems, cameras and control systems.