Rosalind Franklin and the search for life on Mars

After more than two decades, the European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin rover finally has a path to the launchpad. This week, ExoMars Project Scientist Jorge Vago joins Planetary Radio to talk about what makes this mission like nothing we've sent to Mars before: a drill capable of reaching 2 meters beneath the surface, where organic molecules may have been shielded from radiation for billions of years. We dig into how the rover will scout its drilling sites, how its onboard laboratory will analyze samples for signs of life, and why the chirality of any organic molecules it finds could be one of the most telling clues of all. 

Then stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, where we talk about the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, the spacecraft already at Mars that will serve as Rosalind Franklin's lifeline back to Earth.

Related Links

• ESA - Jorge Vago 
• Robotic Exploration of Mars - An interview with Jorge Vago, ExoMars Project Scientist 
• ESA - ExoMars rover
• ExoMars Rover - NASA Science  
• ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover 
• Europe goes to Mars 
• NASA selects Falcon Heavy to launch ESA Mars rover mission despite budget threat - SpaceNews
• NASA Begins Implementation for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mission to Mars
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