Upcoming ExoMars lander contract announcement expected soon

The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to issue a contract opportunity to design a new lander for the ExoMars mission, following the loss of the Russian lander due to the severed partnership between Russia and ESA. The mission, originally scheduled for 2020, is now expected to launch no earlier than 2028. To save the mission, ESA has approved a record-breaking budget of 16.9 billion Euros ($17.6 billion) over three years, with hopes of receiving additional funding from NASA. The ExoMars mission includes the Trace Gas Orbiter and the Rosalind Franklin rover, which is designed to search for signs of Martian life.