Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mars Rover in 2028

NASA has moved forward with a key phase of the Rosalind Franklin Mars rover mission, securing its path toward a long-awaited launch in 2028.

The development comes under the Rosalind Franklin Support and Augmentation (ROSA) project, which has now entered its implementation stage following earlier delays caused by the Russia–Ukraine war.

The mission, led by the European Space Agency, aims to explore beneath the Martian surface in search of signs of past or present life—reaching depths no previous rover has achieved.

A 2024 agreement between NASA and ESA has strengthened transatlantic cooperation, ensuring additional technical and logistical support.

For the launch, NASA has selected SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, one of the most powerful currently in operation.

The rover is scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, with a launch window targeted for no earlier than late 2028.

As part of the ROSA program, NASA will provide critical systems to ensure the rover’s survival and functionality on Mars.

These include braking engines for landing, radioisotope heater units to withstand extreme cold, and advanced onboard electronics.

A key scientific instrument—a mass spectrometer within the Mars Organic Molecule Analyser—will allow detailed analysis of subsurface samples.

The rover will explore Oxia Planum, a region believed to contain ancient water-rich, clay deposits that may preserve organic material protected from radiation.

If successful, the mission could mark a major step forward in the search for extraterrestrial life and inform future Mars exploration efforts.