Tag Archives: ESA

ExoMars 2018: Landing site choices to narrow

Later this month, scientists and engineers will meet to choose which two, of four possible landing sites for the ExoMars 2018 mission, should be retained as candidates. ExoMars is a joint two-mission endeavour between ESA and Russia’s Roscosmos space agency. … Continue reading

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Simulated Mars rover failure tests ‘ePartners’

Car trouble is never good – especially on the Red Planet. An actual robotic vehicle experienced wheel failure during a simulated Mars rover journey, in order to test the ability of prototype ‘electronic partners’ to help human astronauts. “The distance, … Continue reading

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ESA: Commit to 2018 rover launch by December?

Report by Spaceflight Now‘s Stephen Clark: With the flagship-class ExoMars program nearing the finish line after a decade in development, European Space Agency officials want to complete negotiations with the mission’s industrial teams before committing to a 2018 launch date … Continue reading

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ExoMars 2016 targets March launch window

A problem recently discovered in two sensors in the propulsion system of the entry, descent and landing demonstrator module has prompted the recommendation to move the launch of the ExoMars 2016 mission, initially foreseen in January, to March, still within … Continue reading

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HRSC: Mars south pole and beyond

This sweeping view by ESA’s Mars Express extends from the planet’s south polar ice cap and across its cratered highlands to the Hellas Basin (top left) and beyond… The image was acquired by the high-resolution stereo camera on ESA’s Mars … Continue reading

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HRSC: Atlantis Chaos flyover video

Explore the Atlantis Chaos region of Mars, in the Red Planet’s southern hemisphere. The video showcases a myriad of features that reflect a rich geological history. The tour takes in rugged cliffs and impact craters, alongside parts of ancient shallow, … Continue reading

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HRSC: Ascuris Planum

This colourful image resembles an abstract watercolour, but it is in fact a colour-coded topographic map of one of the most geologically diverse regions on Mars. The images featured in this release were taken by the high-resolution stereo camera on … Continue reading

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ExoMars 2016, orbiter & lander, nears completion

The ExoMars spacecraft is almost complete. A joint mission between ESA and Roscosmos, it begins with the launch of the ExoMars orbiter in 2016 and carries an aerodynamically designed capsule containing a robotic lander. Getting to Mars, landing there safely … Continue reading

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Mars Express: The effect of the winds of Mars

Here on Earth, we are used to the wind shaping our environment over time, forming smooth, sculpted rocks and rippling dunes. In this way, Mars is more similar to Earth than you might expect. On the Red Planet, strong winds … Continue reading

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Blue, red, and green aurorae should be naked-eye visible in Martian sky

For the first time, an international team of scientists from NASA, the Institute of Planetology and Astrophysics of Grenoble (IPAG), the European Space Agency and Aalto University in Finland, have predicted that colorful, glowing aurorae can be seen by the … Continue reading

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