Could there be traces of ancient life hidden beneath the surface of Mars? In this episode, we explore the latest preparations for the European Space Agency's (ESA) ExoMars mission. In the Tabernas desert of Almería, Spain, engineers and scientists are putting "Charlie"—a prototype of the Rosalind Franklin rover—through rigorous trials. Controlled remotely from Turin, Italy, Charlie navigates rocky terrain and dust to test autonomous software, WISDOM ground-penetrating radar, and the PanCam and Enfys imaging systems before the real rover launches in 2028 to land at Oxia Planum in 2030.


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This episode includes AI-generated content.