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ExoMars Spacecraft Enters Orbit Around Mars as Word From Lander Is Awaited ExoMars Spacecraft Enters Orbit Around Mars as Word From Lander Is Awaited
(about 3 hours later)
Mars has some new visitors, at least in orbit.Mars has some new visitors, at least in orbit.
ExoMars 2016, a joint mission of the European and Russian space agencies, consists of an orbiter and a lander that arrived at the red planet on Wednesday. The Trace Gas Orbiter pulled in around Mars as planned, with cheers and fist pumps at the mission confirmation center in Darmstadt, Germany.ExoMars 2016, a joint mission of the European and Russian space agencies, consists of an orbiter and a lander that arrived at the red planet on Wednesday. The Trace Gas Orbiter pulled in around Mars as planned, with cheers and fist pumps at the mission confirmation center in Darmstadt, Germany.
“We have a good capture,” Michel Denis, the ExoMars flight director, said shortly after the signal arrived at 12:35 p.m. Eastern. “It is looking very good for the TGO mission around Mars.” “We have a good capture,” Michel Denis, the ExoMars flight director, said shortly after the signal arrived at 12:35 p.m. Eastern.
A couple of hours later, Mr. Denis confirmed that the orbiter was almost exactly in the targeted orbit and that everything appeared to operating well. “We have a mission around Mars,” he said.
But the fate of the lander remains unknown. No radio signal has yet been received to indicate the spacecraft made it to the surface in working order.But the fate of the lander remains unknown. No radio signal has yet been received to indicate the spacecraft made it to the surface in working order.
The European Space Agency, which built the Schiaparelli lander, has never successfully planted a spacecraft on Mars. Schiaparelli separated from the orbiter on Sunday and was to have set down just before 11 a.m. Eastern time.The European Space Agency, which built the Schiaparelli lander, has never successfully planted a spacecraft on Mars. Schiaparelli separated from the orbiter on Sunday and was to have set down just before 11 a.m. Eastern time.
The missing radio signal does not mean the lander has been lost, only that the receiving station in Pune, India, was unable to lock onto what may have been a tenuous signal. The spacecraft had been sending information back during its descent, and officials say the parachutes did deploy. The spacecraft had been sending information back during its descent, and officials say the parachutes did deploy. But then the radio signal, received by a radio dish in Pune, India, disappeared.
Schiaparelli also sent the data to Mars Express, the European Space Agency’s other orbiter, and that spacecraft is expected to relay the information to Earth, providing more definitive information about the status of the lander later today. “At a certain point, it stopped,” said Paolo Ferri, head of the mission operations department. “It was unexpected, but we couldn’t conclude anything from that.”
Schiaparelli also sent its data to Mars Express, an older European orbiter, and Mars Express relayed what it heard to Earth. Again, the signal ended abruptly.
“It stopped at a certain point that we reckon was before the landing,” Dr. Ferri said. “To conclude more on this, we need more information. It is clear these are not good signs.”
The Trace Gas Orbiter recorded full telemetry information from Schiaparelli during the landing attempt, and that will be sent back to Earth later on Wednesday. Engineers will spend the night analyzing the data, and Dr. Ferri said he was confident that there will be answers in time for a morning news conference.
Even if the lander failed, it will not have a major impact on the overall success of the mission, because the primary scientific value of ExoMars was expected to come from the orbiter’s observations.Even if the lander failed, it will not have a major impact on the overall success of the mission, because the primary scientific value of ExoMars was expected to come from the orbiter’s observations.
ExoMars launched in March on a Russian rocket from Kazakhstan, with the Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli mated together for the seven-month trip to Mars.ExoMars launched in March on a Russian rocket from Kazakhstan, with the Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli mated together for the seven-month trip to Mars.
The orbiter’s primary mission is to search for methane and other gases in the Martian atmosphere. Transient methane has been detected on the planet, presumably produced by a geological process requiring heat and liquid water or, even more exciting, by microbes.The orbiter’s primary mission is to search for methane and other gases in the Martian atmosphere. Transient methane has been detected on the planet, presumably produced by a geological process requiring heat and liquid water or, even more exciting, by microbes.
More evidence of the gas on Mars could provide important clues about the planet’s geology, or even offer hints of life there.More evidence of the gas on Mars could provide important clues about the planet’s geology, or even offer hints of life there.
The main purpose of Schiaparelli is to test landing technologies for future missions. It carries a small weather station to measure temperature, humidity, dust and wind, but the batteries will drain after a few days.The main purpose of Schiaparelli is to test landing technologies for future missions. It carries a small weather station to measure temperature, humidity, dust and wind, but the batteries will drain after a few days.
Neither the orbiter nor the lander will want for company in and around the red planet.Neither the orbiter nor the lander will want for company in and around the red planet.
On the surface, two rovers sent by NASA are exploring Mars’s dunes and craters. Opportunity, active since 2004, has lasted 12 years beyond its planned expiration date. Curiosity, which landed in 2012, has drilled into the planet’s surface and discovered organic chemicals essential to life.On the surface, two rovers sent by NASA are exploring Mars’s dunes and craters. Opportunity, active since 2004, has lasted 12 years beyond its planned expiration date. Curiosity, which landed in 2012, has drilled into the planet’s surface and discovered organic chemicals essential to life.
The Mars Express orbiter, launched in 2003 by the E.S.A., is still in orbit around Mars. There are also three NASA spacecraft: the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Mars Odyssey and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission, or Maven.The Mars Express orbiter, launched in 2003 by the E.S.A., is still in orbit around Mars. There are also three NASA spacecraft: the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Mars Odyssey and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission, or Maven.
An Indian probe, the Mars Orbiter Mission, has orbited the planet since 2014.An Indian probe, the Mars Orbiter Mission, has orbited the planet since 2014.
In 2018, NASA plans to land the Insight probe on Mars to study the planet’s interior processes. SpaceX also is looking to drop one of its Dragon capsules on the surface, a test that could lead to a much larger spacecraft carrying colonists there.In 2018, NASA plans to land the Insight probe on Mars to study the planet’s interior processes. SpaceX also is looking to drop one of its Dragon capsules on the surface, a test that could lead to a much larger spacecraft carrying colonists there.
Europe and Russia have an ambitious follow-up to the ExoMars collaboration that is to launch in 2020 and land in April 2021. That mission will consist of a rover and a surface science platform.Europe and Russia have an ambitious follow-up to the ExoMars collaboration that is to launch in 2020 and land in April 2021. That mission will consist of a rover and a surface science platform.
That could be a busy year for Mars. NASA, India, China and the United Arab Emirates also are looking to launch spacecraft to the planet then.That could be a busy year for Mars. NASA, India, China and the United Arab Emirates also are looking to launch spacecraft to the planet then.