Due to the Russia-Ukraine War, it is indicated that the exploration vehicle Rosalind, stranded on Earth, may soon set off towards Mars.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the British-made Mars exploration vehicle stuck on Earth may soon embark on a journey to the Red Planet after the UK Space Agency agreed to make the payment. The Rosalind Franklin exploration vehicle, owned by the European Space Agency (ESA), was supposed to land on Mars in 2023. However, the rocket-supported system designed to land the fragile exploration vehicle on the planet’s surface was being built under contract by Russia’s space agency Roscosmos. After the invasion of Ukraine, ESA canceled the contract, leaving the Rosalind exploration vehicle, designed to search for traces of past life on Mars, stranded. 150 MILLION POUNDS CONTRACT Sky News reported that the UK Space Agency’s £150 million contract with Airbus to change the Russian landing system is putting the mission back on track. Peter Kyle, Minister responsible for science in the UK, stated: “We can answer some key questions that humanity asks itself. If we can do that and benefit from some results and innovations that will arise from it, then I think this is a very good investment for the UK.” It is stated that this is good news for the Rosalind exploration vehicle, a central part of ESA’s ExoMars program, as it was one of the most delayed and derailed missions in space history. Originally planned to launch in 2018, NASA, initially a partner in the venture, withdrew due to financial constraints, forcing ESA member states to cover the gap. The completion of the lander was postponed due to COVID restrictions and then effectively halted with Russia’s withdrawal from the project.