The company will develop an innovative antenna for deep space to connect fixed or mobile infrastructure on Mars with Earth, capable of transmitting acquired radar images and science data.

Rome, March 8, 2024 – Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with the Italian space agency (ASI) to develop the communications subsystem for the innovative International Mars Ice Mapper (I-MIM) mission. This Phase B1 contract, worth a total amount of about €22 million, follows on from the previous Phase A award to Thales Alenia Space in 2021, successfully completed in 2022.

I-MIM is a mission in partnership with the Italian space agency (ASI), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA to develop a Mars orbiter, with the goal of identifying and measuring the extent and volume of water ice in the mid- and low-latitude regions of Mars, where it is possible to plan the first potential human surface missions to Mars.