March 14, 2016, European Space Agency spacecraft Exomars sent for a mission to Mars. This mission had two phases, the second phase of which is still delayed.
Exomars launch
ExoMars is an astrobiology mission jointly carried out by the European Space Agency and Russia.
During the ExoMars mission, a gas tracking orbiter and a lander were launched to Mars by a Russian spacecraft. The launch took place on March 14, 2016 and was very successful. Three days before the rover enters Mars orbit and the lander Schiaparelli Landing on the surface of the planet, the two probes separated.
The rover successfully entered Mars orbit on October 19, but no signal was received that Schiaparelli had successfully landed. Two days later, NASA released an image of Mars that appeared to be the crash site of the rover. Schiaparelli did not survive the accident and did not manage to land safely. But the gas tracking orbiter is still working and orbiting the planet.
Objectives and achievements of the mission
The ExoMars mission is an extensive program dedicated to Mars, and its goal is to search for sources of Martian life, both past and present.
The plan of this mission was to send several types of spacecraft and spacecraft during two launches. So far, two probes have been sent with the first launch, each with separate objectives.
The Exomas Gas Tracking Orbiter is a telecommunications probe that analyzes the gases in the planet’s atmosphere. Since 2016, this probe has been mapping the sources of methane and other gases, and by doing this, it will help to choose a suitable landing site for the future probe.
The presence of methane in the Martian atmosphere could indicate present-day life or geological activity.
Schiaparelli’s lander was supposed to measure wind speed and direction, humidity, pressure and surface temperature. This probe had a set of sensors by which it could reach its targets.
The second stage of exomars
The next program of ExoMars is to send a rover called Bruno It was supposed to be launched in 2020. But because of the epidemic Covid-19 Its launch was postponed until 2022. After the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, ExoMars was suspended and the European Space Agency’s cooperation with Russia was terminated.
After announcing the termination of cooperation with this country, the European Space Agency stated in a statement that European scientists will hold a meeting on how to advance the ExoMars rover without Russian interference.
