{"id":54,"date":"2016-03-20T08:26:54","date_gmt":"2016-03-20T08:26:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/martinelectronics.co.uk\/wp\/?p=54"},"modified":"2016-03-20T08:26:54","modified_gmt":"2016-03-20T08:26:54","slug":"europe-and-russia-launch-joint-space-mission-to-mars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/martinelectronics.co.uk\/wp\/?p=54","title":{"rendered":"Europe and Russia launch joint Space Mission to Mars"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Europe<\/a><\/p>\n

The Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli blasted off at 0931:42 GMT (5:31:42 a.m. EDT) from Complex 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Shortly after the fourth burn, ExoMars separated from Breeze-M and deployed its solar panels.<\/p>\n

Luzin predicted the mission\u2019s presumed success is likely to have benefits for Russia\u2019s space program, which is struggling to stay competitive. \u201cThe second part of the ExoMars mission may be delayed to 2020\u201d, said Igor Komarov, the chief of Roscosmos. In 2013, United States\u2019 Beagle Probe disappeared, and ESA is trying to avoid these kinds of setbacks.<\/p>\n

Dr Manish Patel, from the Open University, who is in charge of TGO\u2019s ozone-mapping ultraviolet (UV) spectrometer instrument, said: \u201cThis is a fantastic mission, massive\u201d.<\/p>\n

TGO will photograph the Red Planet and analyse its air, splitting off from the lander dubbed Schiaparelli days before entering Mars\u2019 atmosphere. Its task is to study life-hinting gases, such as methane, which is linked to life on Earth.<\/p>\n

Its main job will be to test the descent and landing technology for ExoMars 2018, the next stage of the mission which will send a British-built rover to Mars in two years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n

The 660kg Schiaparelli will land on the Martian surface to collect meteorological and other types of data.<\/p>\n

ESA said the rover landing \u201cremains a significant challenge\u201d however.<\/p>\n

ExoMars, which cost the European Space Agency alone 1.3 billion euros ($1.44 billion), is the first interplanetary mission jointly undertaken by ESA and Roscomsos.<\/p>\n

KAZAKHSTAN \u2013 Two robotic spacecraft on Monday began a seven-month journey to Mars as part of a European-Russian unmanned space mission to sniff out leads to life on the Red Planet. The second is planned for launch in 2018 and is a rover and surface science platform.<\/p>\n

The joint investigation will involve the search for natural gases that scientists believe may be a sign of human life on Mars, The Australian reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a long journey getting the first ExoMars mission to the launch pad, but thanks to the hard work and dedication of our global teams, a new era of Mars exploration is now within our reach\u201d, Johann-Dietrich Woerner, director general of the European Space Agency, said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Neither the ESA nor Roscosmos has the best track record when it comes to Martian missions, and for now, both space agencies are breathing a huge sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

Traffic around Mars is about to get a bit heavier.<\/p>\n