Europe Prepares for a Mars Landing Mission by 2035
The European Space Agency (ESA) is taking bold steps toward landing on Mars. While preparing to send the long-awaited Rosalind Franklin rover to the Red Planet in 2028, ESA is already planning its next big mission—a high-precision Mars surface lander expected to be developed by the mid-2030s.
On December 17, 2024, ESA issued a call for proposals under the project “Advancehttps://esastar-publication-ext.sso.esa.int/ESATenderActions/details/143407d Entry, Descent, and Landing Capability on Mars.” The goal is to develop advanced landing technology that ensures spacecraft can safely and accurately touch down on Mars. The agency is focused on guided-entry landers that will improve future missions while avoiding outdated technology.
Starting early is critical. ESA aims to gather key data on technology readiness, timelines, and costs to secure approval for the mission in an important ministerial meeting in Bremen, Germany, in November 2025. Another factor driving urgency is that 2035 offers the best launch opportunity in the next decade due to planetary alignment, making the mission both scientifically and logistically favorable.
If successful, this project will strengthen Europe’s position in Mars exploration and pave the way for future crewed missions.
