ESA’s ExoMars rover, known as Rosalind Franklin, was first supposed to launch in 2018, but problems with the landing parachute during tests delayed the mission. Then, the mission was supposed to launch in 2020 now that the parachute problem had been fixed, but the panini prevented that launch date from happening. Finally, the mission was scheduled to launch this year; however, the entire ExoMars program was a joint effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos.

And, well, Russia invaded Ukraine, much to the aggravation of the rest of the world, and the member states in the ESA voted to suspend the mission. For one thing, the launch vehicle was a Russian Proton rocket, and secondly, the landing platform was Russian-made. This situation is leaving much of the scientific community wondering if there is any chance of a good outcome for the rover.

It is possible that the U.S. can step in and save the mission, and NASA officials have confirmed that they are contemplating doing so, writing: We have recently begun a joint assessment of options for the ExoMars mission. Once we know more, we will incorporate that information into our plans.

It would be a shame to see this mission canceled after nearly twenty years of development and planning, but the reality is that we should prepare for bad news and hope for good news. We’ll keep you updated as the situation evolves.

More Information

Will NASA Save Europe’s Beleaguered Mars Rover? (Scientific American)