Europe lands on Mars. The ExoMars mission is entering a decisive phase – Interfax

The ExoMars mission lead by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Space Agency of the Russian Federation “Rosatom”. Consists of two stages, the first of them gets a decisive phase. Included the launch of the orbital Trace Gas Orbiter and the lander, known as Schiaparelli in honor of the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparellego. The device was hoisted into space in March on Board shots from Baikonur rocket ” proton M.

After seven months of travel, the probe and the lander is approaching the red Planet. In Sunday afternoon Moscow time Schiaparelli separated from TGO to fly to Mars. 12 hours later, the lambda will adjust your course and orbit of the red Planet. Will be there to explore the content and distribution of gases in the Martian atmosphere.

Schiaparelli for Monday and Tuesday will be in hibernation. Will be able to get out of it before beginning the procedure of planting, scheduled for Wednesday. Machine weighing about 600 kg, will enter the Martian atmosphere at a height of 122.5 km, at a speed of 21 thousand km/h the Speed will be destruction by aerodynamic protective heat, and later a parachute.

At the height of 1 km Schiaparelli launch three engines on liquid fuel that will allow him to reduce speed to 7 km/h At a height of 2 m above the surface of the planet, the engines will be disabled and the device will fall to the Martian soil. The drop has a lock from the special structure mounted on the bottom of the lander. The process of planting will last less than six minutes.

From the branch before landing – ESA animation:

Schiaparelli falls on the plains of Meridiani Temporale, close to the place where in 2004. landed the American Mars Rover Opportunity. Test equipment on Board the lander will only work up to four days, because studies are not the main problem. Will test in practice the procedure.

the First phase of the mission is to wipe a trail for the second phase – sending has the Mars Rover to study egzobiologicznych and geochemical. It needs to be sent into space in 2020. The principal scientific objectives of the mission is the search of possible traces of life on Mars – present or former. And also study the distribution of water at different depths, surface exploration and identify potential threats to a future manned mission.

In the framework of the ExoMars used items located in Poland. On Board the landing module installed infrared sensors manufactured by Vigo System SA of kraków. These detectors ESA used to create radiometrów in a system designed to monitor the outer shell of the boat. The Space Research Centre PAN, Warsaw was designed and built power supply for cameras Cassis. The batteries mounted it on behalf of the Institute of the Polish company Creotech Instruments SA.