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

[Ron Baalke]

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[@]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[@]esa.int

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

Rolf de Groot
ESA Coordinator for Robotic Exploration
Email: Rolf.de.Groot[@]esa.int