ExoMars is a joint mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, to explore the planet Mars. The main goal of the ExoMars program is to search for signs of past and present life on Mars, as well as to study the planet's geology and atmosphere.
The ExoMars program consists of several missions, with the first mission, ExoMars 2016, comprising of the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the Schiaparelli lander. The second mission, ExoMars 2020, consists of the Rosalind Franklin Rover and the Kazachok lander.
Examples of ExoMars missions include:
- ExoMars 2016, the first mission of the program, which was launched in March 2016. The mission consisted of the TGO spacecraft and the Schiaparelli lander. The TGO was placed in orbit around Mars and is used to study the planet's atmosphere, while the Schiaparelli lander unfortunately failed during its descent to the Martian surface.
- ExoMars 2020, the second mission of the program, which was launched in July 2020. It consists of the Rosalind Franklin Rover and the Kazachok lander.
- The Rosalind Franklin Rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021, is designed to study the geology of the planet, search for signs of past and present life, and collect soil samples for future return to Earth. It is also equipped with a drill to dig up to 2 meters below the Martian surface to study subsurface layers.
- The Kazachok lander, which arrived at Mars in March 2021, is designed to study the planet's weather and climate and to test new technologies for future Mars missions.
- Future ExoMars missions are planned, such as the ExoMars Sample Fetch Rover, which is planned to be launched in 2028, it will collect and return samples from the Martian surface to Earth for further analysis.
- Another mission that is proposed is the ExoMars Surface Platform, which aims to provide surface mobility, power and communication capabilities to support a range of scientific investigations, including astrobiology, geology, geophysics, and atmospheric science.
The ExoMars program is an important international collaboration between ESA and Roscosmos, it aims to deepen our understanding of Mars and its potential for past or present life, as well as to pave the way for future manned missions to the planet.
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