[meteorite-list] ExoMars 2016 Set To Complete Construction

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:16:29 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201306172016.r5HKGTOi027801_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Space_Science/ExoMars_2016_set_to_complete_construction

ExoMars 2016 set to complete construction
European Space Agency
17 June 2013

ESA's mission to Mars in 2016 has entered the final stage of
construction with the signature of a contract today with Thales
Alenia Space at the Paris Air & Space Show.

ExoMars will fly two missions, in 2016 and 2018, in a partnership
between ESA and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. Its main goal
is to answer one of the outstanding scientific questions of our
time: has life ever existed on Mars?

In addition, ExoMars will develop new European technical
capabilities in landing, roving, drilling and preparing samples to
pave the way for a future Mars sample-return mission in the 2020s.

The first mission will be launched in 2016 and will include the
Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) to search for evidence of methane and
other atmospheric gases that could be signs of active biological
or geological processes.

It will also deliver the Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator
Module (EDM) to the surface of Mars, to demonstrate key
technologies needed for the 2018 mission and future landing missions.

The 2018 mission will land a rover on Mars - the first with the
capability of drilling to depths of 2 m to collect samples that
have been shielded from the harsh conditions on the surface, where
radiation and oxidants can destroy organic materials.

In addition, the 2018 mission carries a Surface Platform with
scientific instruments to investigate the martian environment.

The agreement, signed today in the ESA pavilion at the Paris Air &
Space Show, marks a major milestone for the mission and for Thales
Alenia Space, the industrial prime contractor on ExoMars.

"The award of this contract provides continuity to the work of the
industrial team members of Thales Alenia Space on this complex
mission, and will ensure that it remains on track for launch in
January 2016," noted Alvaro Gimenez, ESA's Director of Science and
Robotic Exploration.

The agreement was signed by Prof Gimenez and Vincenzo Giorgio,
Vice President Exploration & Science of Thales Alenia Space during
a ceremony attended by the Agency's Director General, Jean-Jacques
Dordain. Also attending were Maria Carrozza, the Italian Minister
for Education, Universities and Research, Enrico Saggese,
President of the Italian space agency, and Jean-Loic Galle, CEO of
Thales Alenia Space.

For the 2016 mission, Thales Alenia Space Italy is building the
EDM, which is currently completing structural tests at the
company's laboratories in Turin. TGO's orbiter is being built at
Thales Alenia Space's site in Cannes, France.

The first mission will be launched in January 2016, arriving at
Mars nine months later. The second mission is scheduled for launch
in May 2018, arriving at the planet in early 2019.

Notes for Editors

The ExoMars Programme is funded by 14 ESA states (Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and Canada) of which
Italy is the largest contributor and the UK the second largest.
Member States are also providing scientific instruments to
ExoMars. For the 2016 TGO, these include the infrared and
ultraviolet spectrometer package NOMAD (led by Belgium) and the
CaSSIS high-resolution colour stereo camera (led by Switzerland).
TGO will also carry two Russian instruments. Italy will lead the
DREAMS environmental station on EDM.

The 2018 Rover will comprise PanCam, a wide-angle and
high-resolution camera system (led by the UK); CLUPI, a close-up
imager (led by Switzerland); WISDOM, a ground-penetrating radar
(led by France); Ma_MISS, a miniaturised infrared spectrometer
integrated in the drill (led by Italy); MicrOmega, a visible and
infrared imaging spectrometer (led by France); RLS, a Raman
spectrometer (led by Spain), and MOMA, a novel organic molecule
detector (led by Germany, with substantial contributions from the
United States). The European payload of the Rover is complemented
by two Russian instruments.

For further information, please contact:

Markus Bauer
ESA Science and Robotic Exploration Communication Officer??????
Tel: +31 71 565 6799
Mob: +31 61 594 3 954
Email: Markus.Bauer at esa.int
Received on Mon 17 Jun 2013 04:16:29 PM PDT