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Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars

Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars
Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars An artist's simulation of the European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin rover exploring the surface of Mars. Rosalind Franklin is Europe's first Mars rover and is designed to search for signs of past and present life on the Red Planet. The rover's six wheels and autonomous navigation software allow it to traverse difficult Martian terrain, including a unique wheel-walking locomotion mode to avoid getting stuck in loose soil. Rosalind Franklin will be the first rover to drill up to two meters below the Martian surface, collecting samples protected from radiation and extreme temperatures that may hold clues to whether life ever existed on Mars. ESA/Mlabspace