Editor’s note: The National Academy’s Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences Autumn 2026 Meeting is being held 6-8 October Tuesday – Thursday this week. According to the agenda there are […]
Rosalind Franklin Rover
Posted inMars
ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Rover Recon: Geological History Of Oxia Planum
[NASA] This crater contains exposures in the rim that can corroborate prevailing hypotheses for Oxia Planumās geologic history ahead of the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin roverās landing, currently planned for 2030. […]
Posted inMars
Preparing ExoMars For Rosalind Franklin Astrobiology Rover Delivery
[ESA] The footage shows the simultaneous deployment of two landing legs from the ExoMars landing platform, in two sequential pairs.
Posted inMars
Water Ice Inside A Martian Crater
[ESA] Like a sprinkle of powdered sugar on a rich red velvet cake, this scene from the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter captures the contrasting colours of bright white water-ice […]
Posted inMars
ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Astrobiology Mission Heat Shield Enters Integration Phase
[ArianeGroup] Following a successful vibration test campaign designed to validate its mechanical resistance to the stresses of launch and the journey to Mars, the Front Shield for Rosalind Franklin has […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Astrobiology Rover Targets A Vast Bed Of Clay In Its Search For Life
In the region where the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will search for signs of life, clay deposits extend beyond previous estimates, a new study finds. One hypothesis even suggests a […]
Posted inDesert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Status Report
ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Mars Rover Sample Processing
The Rosalind Franklin roverās drill has a maximum reach of two metres ā deeper than any other mission has ever attempted on the Red Planet. This depth allows access to […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Press Release
Mars’s Chilly North Polar Vortex Creates a Seasonal Ozone Layer
A rare glimpse into the wintry conditions of Marsās north polar vortex has shown that temperatures inside the vortex are far colder than outside, and that the permanent darkness that […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Application Of A Modified Commercial Laser Mass Spectrometer As A Science Analog Of The Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA)
The ESA/NASA Rosalind Franklin rover, planned for launch in 2028, will carry the first laser desorption ionization mass spectrometer (LDI-MS) to Mars as part of the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Panspermia, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Status Report
Biomarker Preservation in Antarctic Sandstones after Prolonged Space Exposure Outside the International Space Station During the ESA EXPOSE-E Lichens and Fungi Experiment
A primary aim of current and future space exploration missions is the detection and identification of chemical and biological indicators of life, namely biomarkers, on Mars.