Insider Brief:
- Thales Alenia Space has secured a framework contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to continue working on tasks essential to the ExoMars 2028 mission.
- The contract is valued at €522 million.
- The ExoMars mission aims to explore the Martian surface in pursuit of evidence indicating past life and is scheduled to launch at the end of 2028.
- Image credit: Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, has secured a framework contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to continue working on tasks essential to the ExoMars 2028 mission. Valued at €522 million, the contract entails various phases that are crucial for the mission’s success as announced by Thales Alenia Space.
Scheduled for launch between October and December 2028 from the Kennedy Space Center, the ExoMars mission aims to explore the Martian surface in pursuit of evidence indicating past life. Spearheaded by ESA, with significant collaboration from NASA, the mission will deploy a European rover equipped for autonomous traversal across Mars. Upon its arrival in 2030, the rover will employ a drill developed by Leonardo to extract soil samples up to 2 meters deep, analyzing their chemical, physical, and biological composition with an advanced Analytical Laboratory Drawer (ALD) crafted by Thales Alenia Space. This mission’s primary objective is to investigate subsurface bacteria, potentially offering insights into Martian life, past or present.
Meanwhile, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), crafted by Thales Alenia Space, continues to orbit Mars. Tasked with detecting trace gases, particularly methane, in the Martian atmosphere, the TGO plays a pivotal role in deciphering potential indicators of life on Mars. Moreover, it serves as a primary data relay for Mars missions, including those of NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers.
Thales Alenia Space assumes a critical role as the industrial prime contractor for the ExoMars 2028 mission. Responsibilities include designing the Entry, Descent and Landing Module (EDLM), developing its radar altimeter, integrating the ALD onto the rover, and crafting the onboard computer. Additionally, Thales Alenia Space oversees assembly, integration, and testing (AIT), along with managing the launch campaign.
Within the scope of this contract, Thales Alenia Space will lead the definition of the EDLM and conduct maintenance activities on the transfer module and rover, ensuring their readiness for the upcoming mission. This entails audits, tests, and the integration of new technologies such as the Enfys infrared spectrometer. Furthermore, Thales Alenia Space collaborates with a consortium of renowned aerospace companies across Europe to execute various components of the mission.
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