APP-Powered Mortars Propel ESA’s ExoMars Parachute System to New Heights

In a milestone for planetary exploration, on July 7 2025 ESA has successfully tested the parachute deployment system for its ExoMars mission using high-altitude balloon drops over Sweden’s Arctic Circle. The sequence—which includes APP-supplied pyrotechnic mortars from the Netherlands—triggered deployment of two massive parachutes under Martian-like conditions. The system, featuring the largest parachute intended for Mars, performed as designed, paving the way for a safe landing of the Rosalind Franklin rover in 2030.