Engineers test European Space Agency Rosalind Franklin Mars rover egress operations

Engineers have begun rehearsing the egress procedure for the European Space Agency uncrewed Rosalind Franklin rover using a full-size model on Mars-like terrain, ESA Exploration reported. The tests are designed to prepare the robotic vehicle for its scheduled departure from its landing platform after reaching the Martian surface. [1]

The trials simulate operational challenges expected on Mars, according to ESA Exploration. These conditions include reduced gravitational forces, a 20-degree surface incline, uneven terrain, and physical obstacles positioned beneath the exit ramps of the lander. [1]

In 1997, NASA operated the first successful mobile rover outside the Earth-Moon system during the Mars Pathfinder mission. That lightweight vehicle, named Sojourner, weighed 10.6 kilograms and operated alongside its lander until the mission ended in 1998. [2]

ESA Exploration reported that the uncrewed Rosalind Franklin rover is scheduled to execute its lander deployment sequence on the surface of Mars in 2030. [1]