The European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars 2022 mission has hit a roadblock, with an unprecedented suspension of collaboration with Russia’s space program, Roscosmos. Initially planned for a September 2022 launch, the mission will not proceed as scheduled. This suspension comes after a decision by the Russian space agency to cease cooperation with Germany on joint experiments in the International Space Station (ISS).
ExoMars 2022 mission is a two-part project. The first part, launched in 2016 atop a Proton-M rocket, consisted of the European Trace Gas Orbiter and a test lander called Schiaparelli. While the orbiter was successful, the test lander failed during its descent to Mars. The second part comprises a rover and surface platform, originally slated for July 2020, but postponed to September 2022 due to technical issues.
ESA and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were original collaborators on the ExoMars project. However, NASA withdrew in 2012 due to budgeting constraints, leading Russia to step in the following year.
Objective of the ExoMars 2022 Mission
The main goal of the mission is to explore if Mars ever supported life and understand the history of water on the planet. The European Rover will drill into the Martian subsurface to gather samples from about 2 meters in depth. The ideal landing site would be an area with high potential for well-preserved organic material from the planet’s history.
Why ExoMars 2022 Mission Depends on Russia
The mission incorporates several Russian-made components — notably, the rockets. The successful 2016 launch employed a Russian-made Proton-M rocket, the same type intended for the September 2022 launch. Many components of the mission’s rover, such as radioisotope heaters that keep the rover warm during Martian nights, are also Russian-made.
Other Mars Missions to be Aware Of
There are multiple other notable Mars missions, including NASA’s Perseverance Rover and UAE’s Hope Mars Mission, which is UAE’s first-ever interplanetary mission. One other significant mission was India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation in November 2013. It aimed to study Martian surface and mineral composition and scan its atmosphere for methane, a potential sign of life on Mars. Another key mission is Tianwen-1, led by China.
Understanding Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in our Solar System—about half the size of Earth. As it orbits the Sun, it completes one rotation every 24.6 hours, akin to Earth’s 23.9 hours. The axis of Mars’ rotation is tilted 25 degrees in relation to its orbit around the Sun, similar to Earth’s axial tilt of 23.4 degrees. Like Earth, Mars experiences distinct seasons but they last longer than those on Earth.
The Red Planet, as Mars is known, gets its distinctive hue from the rusting, or oxidation, of iron in its rocks and dust. It is home to the Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, and has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos. Its Martian days are called sols, short for ‘solar day’.
