ExoMars: The 8th Active Mission Arrives at Mars!

ExoMars is arriving at the Red Planet this week! This is the first half of a mission designed expressly to look for past or present life on Mars.

ExoMars: The Search for Life on the Red Planet

In March, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian Federal Space Agency  launched a collaborative mission to Mars, ExoMars! This is a two-part mission. The first part, an orbiter and lander, launched in March and is just a few days away from orbital insertion and landing. The second half, a rover, will launch in 2020. 

Simulated image of the Trace Gas Orbiter. The top capsule is the Entry, Descent, and Landing Demonstrator Module. Image Credit

Yesterday, the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the Entry Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (a.k.a. Schiaparelli), separated successfully. Last night, there was another engine burn to put Schiaparelli on a path to enter Mars' atmosphere, and to put TGO on a path to enter orbit. On Wednesday, October 19, ESA will be livestreaming from mission command as the Schiaparelli lander descends to the surface of Mars, starting at 8 AM. 

Artist's impression of Schiaparelli on Mars. Image Source

The lander Schiaparelli's primary purpose is to test the entry, descent, and landing procedures and equipment for future missions to the surface of Mars. It has a limited scientific mission; it will only have battery life for 2 to 8 days after arriving at the surface. In that time, it will act similar to a weather station, measuring wind speed and direction, humidity, pressure, temperature, transparency of the atmosphere, and atmospheric electric fields. Even with a short lifetime, the lander is still an important part of the mission. Without testing landing procedures, the future rover portion of this mission would be at risk. 

ExoMars Orbiter and Lander in vibration testing. Image Credit

The Trace Gas Orbiter will study the gas present in minute amounts in Mars' atmosphere, including methane, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide, and acetylene. The presence of methane in Mars' atmosphere is intriguing, because it could be a sign of present-day life, or active geology. The orbiter will also allow scientists to communicate with future surface missions.

The Trace Gas Orbiter being moved into a clean room after testing.  Image Credit

In 2020, the second half of the ExoMars mission is expected to launch (although some funding still needs to be raised). This mission will deliver a rover and a surface platform to Mars. It will be the first surface mission to Mars not organized by NASA. It is great to have Europe and Russia joining in the surface exploration of Mars. The more countries are involved in space exploration, the more we will know about our Universe.

ExoMars Rover prototype. Image Credit

The rover will study the  physical and chemical properties of Martian samples. It will mostly study the surface, but will have a drill that will be able to dig two meters into the surface. The drill will be outfitted with an infrared spectrometer to analyze the chemicals in the borehole. Inside the rover will be a laboratory in which it will study samples for signs of organic molecules. It will be outfitted with a panoramic camera, a close-up imager, and a radar instrument. This mission, with the two current rovers on Mars, and NASA's upcoming Mars 2020 rover, will help us understand Mars better than ever before. 

If you want to follow along with the ExoMars mission, you can visit its website, follow it on  Twitter, and keep an eye on this blog! I will post updates periodically. Follow the Dome Planetarium on Facebook or Twitter too, and come see a show next time you visit the Peoria Riverfront Museum - we teach about space and science everyday. 

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