“The rover is ready, and together with the recent drop test success for the parachutes, we are positive to be in time for the September launch date,” says Pietro Baglioni, ESA’s ExoMars rover team leader.

Only once every two years and for about ten days, celestial mechanics would allow the spacecraft to reach Mars from Earth in the shortest possible time – around nine months.

Rosalind now sits in an ultra-clean room at the Thales Alenia Space premises in Turin, Italy, right by its travelling companion, the Kazachok landing platform. Following a final review in April, all the components of the spacecraft – rover, descent module, landing platform and carrier – will move to the launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, to prepare for lift-off.

“Just before that last trip on Earth, we will upload the final version of the software that will allow the rover to scout Mars autonomously,” explains Pietro.