Tag Archives: TGO

New clues to source of Mars methane

[Ed. note: Partial report on this research appeared earlier here] A team of researchers led by scientists at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering has created a model of how methane changes on Mars throughout the day by using data … Continue reading

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ExoMars orbiter preps orbit for ExoMars rover

On 15 June, the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) will follow a different path. An ‘Inclination Change Manoeuvre’ will put the spacecraft in an altered orbit, enabling it to pick up crucial status signals from the ExoMars rover, Rosalind … Continue reading

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Europe to Mars — and back!

Europe has been in orbit around Mars for more than 15 years and is almost a year away from launching its first rover mission, but ambitions are already running high to go one step further: returning a sample from the … Continue reading

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Trace Gas Orbiter: First science results

New evidence of the impact of the recent planet-encompassing dust storm on water in the atmosphere, and a surprising lack of methane, are among the scientific highlights of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter’s first year in orbit. Two papers [here … Continue reading

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Trace Gas Orbiter: Dust devil detail

Mars may have a reputation for being a desolate world, but it is certainly not dead: its albeit thin atmosphere is still capable of whipping up a storm and, as this image reveals, send hundreds – maybe even thousands – … Continue reading

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ExoMars rover landing platform gets a name

The platform destined to land on the Red Planet as part of the next ExoMars mission has arrived in Europe for final assembly and testing – and been given a name. An announcement was made by the Russian State Space … Continue reading

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ExoMars: Images of InSight lander and more

Curious surface features, water-formed minerals, 3D stereo views, and even a sighting of the InSight lander showcase the impressive range of imaging capabilities of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. The ESA-Roscosmos Trace Gas Orbiter, or TGO, launched three years ago … Continue reading

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ExoMars rover named for Rosalind Franklin

The ExoMars rover that will search for the building blocks of life on the Red Planet has a name: Rosalind Franklin. The prominent scientist behind the discovery of the structure of DNA will have her symbolic footprint on Mars in … Continue reading

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ExoMars: Eberswalde Crater delta

This intricate structure of an ancient river delta once carried liquid water across the surface of Mars. The distinctive form of a delta arises from sediments that are deposited by a river as it enters slower-moving water, like a lake … Continue reading

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ExoMars: Rover fitness trials in Spanish desert

The sun set on a week of trials for the ExoMars rover prototype named Charlie (in the foreground). The first of two field trials for the mission, known as ExoFiT, took place in the Tabernas desert in Spain between 13-26 … Continue reading

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