European Rover Secures SpaceX Launch to Mars
April 17, 2026 at 03:15
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✦ AI Summary
- SpaceX to launch ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover in 2028
- Political factors led to NASA's involvement in the launch
- The project has been in development for nearly 25 years
NASA has officially announced that SpaceX will launch the European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin Mars rover, potentially starting as early as late 2028. The launch will take place on a Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The decision for NASA to choose the launch vehicle for this significant European Mars mission stems from a complex history of international collaboration, political challenges, and the impacts of recent global events, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Rosalind Franklin mission's origins date back nearly 25 years, rooted in a plan from the European Space Agency to send a rover to Mars, initially intended for a 2009 launch with support from Russia.
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