NASA approves work to support ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mars mission targeting 2028

NASA has approved work to support the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin Mars mission, moving its contributions into implementation for a launch planned in 2028. The mission is designed to search for signs of life beneath Mars’ surface using advanced scientific instruments.

With approval in place, NASA teams can proceed with planned efforts in support of the rover’s objectives and timetable. Rosalind Franklin is ESA’s Mars rover project, and the new authorization formalizes NASA’s role in the program as it advances toward its targeted 2028 launch window.

The mission’s focus on subsurface exploration is intended to investigate environments on Mars where evidence of life may be better preserved than on the surface. The approval sets the stage for the next phase of work to keep the mission on track for its planned 2028 departure, with NASA’s implementation now underway alongside ESA’s ongoing preparations.