European Space Agency unveils plans to get troubled rover to Mars

The European Space Agency (Esa) has announced that its record-breaking €16.9 billion (£14.6 billion) budget will cover building the lander that will take the Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars. The ExoMars rover was due to launch aboard a Russian rocket in September to search for signs of life on Mars, but it became clear earlier this year that it would be delayed because of sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

The launch of the rover, named after the British chemist whose pivotal work led to the discovery of DNA’s structure, is now planned for 2028. Esa said UK industry is set to play a leading role in developing a new landing platform, and Nasa has reportedly agreed to contribute the launch rocket as well as an engine for the descent module.