[meteorite-list] European Payload Selected for Exomars 2018 Surface Platform

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2015 12:45:52 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201511302045.tAUKjqft009299_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/European_payload_selected_for_ExoMars_2018_surface_platform

European Payload Selected for Exomars 2018 Surface Platform
European Space Agency
November 27, 2015

Two European instruments and four European contributions on two Russian
instruments have been selected for the Russian-led science platform that
will land on Mars as part of the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars 2018 mission.

The first of the two ExoMars mission is in final preparation for launch
next March. It consists of the Trace Gas Orbiter, which will investigate
the possible biological or geological origins of important trace gases
in the martian atmosphere, and Schiaparelli, an entry, descent and landing
demonstrator module.

Schiaparelli will test key landing technologies and provide atmospheric
and environmental data important for ESA's contributions to subsequent
missions to Mars.

The second ExoMars mission, planned for launch in May 2018, comprises
a European-led rover that will be the first to combine driving across
the martian surface with drilling two metres below the surface, and a
stationary surface science platform.

After landing on Mars in 2019, the rover will descend from the platform
via a ramp. Then both will begin their scientific operations.

The platform is expected to operate for at least one Earth year, imaging
the landing site, monitoring the climate, investigating the atmosphere
and analysing the radiation environment.

It will also study the distribution of any subsurface water at the landing
site, and perform geophysical investigations of the internal structure
of Mars.

Roscomos and the IKI Space Research Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences
had already identified a preliminary payload of instrument packages to
fulfil these goals, some of which anticipated the inclusion of European
elements.

Following a call to the European scientific community issued in March
2015, nine proposals were received and assessed. ESA has now approved
the selection of six European elements. This includes two fully European-led
instruments, and four sensor packages to be included in two Russian-led
instruments.

The two European-led instruments proposed are the Lander Radioscience
experiment (LaRa) and the Habitability, Brine Irradiation and Temperature
package (HABIT).

LaRa will reveal details of the internal structure of Mars, and will make
precise measurements of the rotation and orientation of the planet by
monitoring two-way Doppler frequency shifts between the surface platform
and Earth.

It will also be able to detect variations in angular momentum due to the
redistribution of masses, such as the migration of ice from the polar
caps to the atmosphere.

HABIT will investigate the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere, daily
and seasonal variations in ground and air temperatures, and the UV radiation
environment.

The four European sensor packages in the two Russian-led instruments will
monitor pressure and humidity, UV radiation and dust, the local magnetic
field and plasma environment.
      
"The surface science platform will serve as a long-lived stationary
laboratory to monitor the local environment, which could include passing
dust storms, lightning, and space weather effects," says Jorge Vago,
ESA's ExoMars 2018 project scientist.

"At the same time, the rover will travel several kilometres to search
for traces of past life below the surface. It's a very powerful combination
of instruments."

Last month, the Landing Site Selection Working Group recommended the Oxia
Planum region for further detailed evaluation for consideration as the
primary landing site for the 2018 mission.

A further recommendation was made to also consider Oxia Planum as one
of the two candidate landing sites for the backup launch opportunity in
2020, with a second to be selected from Aram Dorsum and Mawrth Vallis.

All three sites bear evidence of having been influenced by water in the
past, and are likely representative of global processes operating in the
Red Planet's early history.

ESA and Roscosmos will take a final decision on the landing site about
six months before launch.

Notes for Editors:

The ExoMars 2018 surface science platform payload is listed here.
http://exploration.esa.int/mars/56933-exomars-2018-surface-platform/

The mission will be launched on a Russian Proton rocket from Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. An ESA module will carry the surface platform
and rover during the nine-month cruise to Mars. A descent module provided
by Roscosmos with contributions by ESA will deliver the platform and rover
to the surface. Roscosmos and IKI are responsible for the surface platform,
with ESA contributions. The rover is provided by ESA, with Russian contributions.

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

Jorge Vago
ESA ExoMars 2018 project scientist
Scientific Support Office
Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration
Tel: +31 71 565 5211 / +31 6 27 65 87 70
Email: jorge.vago[_at_]esa.int

Luigi Colangeli
ESA Coordinator for the Scientific Programme
Email: luigi.colangeli[_at_]esa.int

Rolf de Groot
ESA Coordinator for Robotic Exploration
Email: Rolf.de.Groot[_at_]esa.int
Received on Mon 30 Nov 2015 03:45:52 PM PST