The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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The ExoMars mission will see Rosalind Franklin the rover land on the Red Planet in 2021.
Rosalind the rover has six wheels and a unique way of moving across the Red Planet. Each wheel pair is suspended on a pivoted bogie so each wheel can be steered and driven independently.
Once on the surface of the Red Planet, the rover will be able to move across many types of terrain – from fine-grained soil to large boulders and slopes.
Rovers on Mars have previously been caught in sand, and turning the wheels dug them deeper – just like a car stuck in mud or snow. To avoid this, Rosalind the rover has a unique locomotion mode called ‘wheel walking’.
Similar to leg movements, wheel-walking articulates motion around the axes and adjusts the rover height and angle with respect to the surface. This motion gives very good traction in soft soils and high slopes, such as dunes.