Bucharest, April 1, 2025 – RBJ – The National Institute for Research and Development for Turbomotors COMOTI has been co-opted into the prestigious ExoMars program, run by the European Space Agency, thus joining the international effort to explore the red planet.
The National Research Authority (ANC) announced on Tuesday that the National Institute for Research and Development for Turbomotors – Comoti – Romanian Research & Development Institute for Gas Turbines, under its coordination, is participating in the prestigious ExoMars program, in the section dedicated to industry and research institutes.
The ExoMars program is developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with international partners, and is a benchmark initiative in the field of astrobiology.
The main objectives of the program are to search for traces of past or present life on Mars, investigate variations in the Martian environment, analyze atmospheric gases, and demonstrate technologies needed for future missions to return samples from Mars.
ExoMars began in 2016, with the mission that placed the Trace Gas Orbiter satellite in Martian orbit and tested the Schiaparelli lander. The second phase, planned for launch in 2028, will include the Rosalind Franklin rover, capable of drilling up to two meters into the Martian surface to collect and analyze samples unaltered by cosmic radiation, thus offering a unique opportunity to explore the biological past of the Red Planet.
“COMOTI’s contribution to ExoMars highlights the institute’s leading expertise in the space field, such as the development of equipment and mechanisms or propulsion systems for various cosmic missions. By developing advanced technologies and innovative solutions, COMOTI has joined a select consortium of European institutes and industries working on the implementation of this ambitious project. This international recognition confirms Romania’s prestigious positioning at the frontiers of knowledge in applied research and its capacity to contribute to large-scale space missions.
We are extremely proud that the COMOTI Institute, coordinated by the National Research Authority, is part of the ExoMars program. This achievement reflects not only the exceptional competence of the COMOTI team, but also Romania’s commitment to contributing to space exploration and global scientific progress. It is a landmark moment for Romanian research,” said Andrei Alexandru, President of the ANC.
Founded in 1985, COMOTI – National Research and Development Institute for Gas Turbines is the only unit in Romania specialized in development and integration of scientific research, constructive and technological design, manufacturing, experimentation, testing, technological transfer and innovation in the field of aviation turbine engines, gas turbine industrial machines and high speed blade machines.
