ExoMars 2028 Rosalind Franklin Rover

Overview

Destination: Heliocentric N/A
Mission: Robotic Exploration

Heliocentric N/A Launch Complex 39A Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

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.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • April 16, 2026, 5:23 p.m.

Launch service provider and launch vehicle confirmed.


Nosu • April 9, 2024, 10:09 a.m.

NET October 2028 from Florida, launch vehicle unknown


Jay • March 17, 2022, 1:25 p.m.

Pushing to the end of the 2024 Mars transfer window following the temporary suspension of the ExoMars program by the European Space Agency.


Falcon Heavy

Family:
Configuration: Heavy

The Falcon Heavy is a variant of the Falcon 9 full thrust launch vehicle and consists of a standard Falcon 9 rocket core, with two additional boosters derived from the Falcon 9 first stage.

See Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
    70.0 m
  • Diameter
    12.2 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    1400.0 T
  • Thrust
    22819.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Falcon Heavy
  • Family
  • Variant
    Heavy
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Falcon Heavy
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $90000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    63800.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    26700.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Booster Info


Unknown FH


Type: Core
Flight Proven: No

Unknown FH


Type: Strap-On Booster
Flight Proven: No

Unknown FH


Type: Strap-On Booster
Flight Proven: No

SpaceX

SpaceX

(SpX)

CEO: Elon Musk Founded: 2002 Successes: 703 Failures: 15 Pending: 128

Agency Type:

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.

INFO WIKI
ESA

ExoMars ramps put up with cold, shaking and vacuum

From the ESA Blogs.

ESA

ExoMars rover targets vast bed of clay in search for life

In the region where the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will search for signs of life, clay deposits extend beyond previous estimates, a new study finds. One hypothesis even suggests a vast ocean once covered the landing site.

ESA

Landing sideways

A large boulder, a treacherous crater or a gust of wind could jeopardise a smooth landing on Mars. Before the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission launches for the Red Planet in 2028, a replica of the landing platform went through worst…

European Spaceflight

Thales Alenia Space Ship ExoMars Structural Models to France for Testing

Thales Alenia Space has shipped the structural models for ESA’s ExoMars mission to its facility in Cannes for vibration and acoustic testing. In April 2024, ESA awarded a Thales Alenia Space-led consortium a €522 million contract for the r…

European Spaceflight

ESA Completes Sterilisation of ExoMars Parachute

The European Space Agency (ESA) has completed a more than 79-hour sterilisation of the parachute that will slow the descent of its Rosalind Franklin rover for a gentle touchdown on the surface of Mars. Scheduled for launch in 2028 aboard a…

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Launch Complex 39A


Long March 2C
Success
1 day, 9 hours ago
Satellite for Earth Observation (SEO)
Launch Complex 9 - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Satellite for Earth Observation (SEO) is an Earth observation satellite project of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by the National Space Science and T…


Long March 12
Success
2 days, 7 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 24
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 10 hours ago
USSF-366
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

USSF-366 is a classified mission for the United States Space Force. It is possibly a batch of classified LEO satellites for a US government entity ba…


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 10 hours ago
Globalstar 2-R Mission 1 (x 8)
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

The Globalstar global mobile communications network offers global, digital real time voice, data and fax services via its Low Earth Orbit satellite c…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 7 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-49
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 20 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-19
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


H3-22
Success
1 week ago
Michibiki 7 (QZS-7)
Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2 - Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

QZSS (Quasi Zenith Satellite System) is a Japanese satellite navigation system operating from inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits to achieve o…


Long March 7A
Failure
1 week, 1 day ago
ChinaSat 4B
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Chinese communication geostationary satellite for unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Starlink Group 17-38
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Electron
Success
1 week, 5 days ago
The Grain Goddess Provides (iQPS Launch 7)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.