Laser upgrade for Mars rover

After some time off the road, vehicles require proper maintenance checks. The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover is no exception and got an upgrade to one of its electronic boxes in preparation for the long journey to the Red Planet. The mission is scheduled for launch in 2028.

Several years of disuse can lead to failures and increase risks. To ensure peak performance on Mars, the space mechanics diligently replaced certain components of the Raman Laser Spectrometer (RLS), the first instrument of the rover to be refurbished. The delivery took place in an ultra-clean room at premises of ExoMars' prime contractor Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, where it will be reintegrated into the rover later this year.

Rosalind’s spectrometer has the task of studying martian mineralogy using Raman spectroscopy, a well-known laboratory technique on Earth. The instrument will help identify organic compounds and search for microbial life by analysing samples from beneath the martian surface, which will be crushed and reduced to powder.

The replaced box controls all the instrument systems and manages communication with the rover. The upgrade ensures that the laser remains in focus and facilitates the collection of photons for spectral analysis.

The IRAP institute in France spent four months upgrading the one-kilogram box, conducting vibration and thermal vacuum tests. The RLS instrument was jointly developed by INTA in Spain and IRAP.

The components were thoroughly decontaminated through multiple cleaning cycles to prevent microbiological contamination on Mars. The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover was built in a biologically controlled cleanroom according to strict planetary protection protocols.

For the latest news about the Rosalind Franklin rover, visit ESA’s ExoMars website and the blog To Mars and Back.