Earth Return Orbiter logo

ESA’s Earth Return Orbiter is one of three flight missions making up the Mars Sample Return campaign to bring martian rock, soil and atmospheric samples back to Earth.

In addition to the rendezvous and return mission, ERO would provide critical Mars-Earth communications coverage for the NASA’s Perseverance rover and the Sample Retrieval Lander to deliver the martian samples.

ERO’s round-trip to the Red Planet, as well as its rendezvous with an object launched from the martian surface, paves the way for crewed missions to Mars.