[meteorite-list] Second Exomars Mission Moves to Next Launch Opportunity in 2020

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/ExoMars/Second_ExoMars_mission_moves_to_next_launch_opportunity_in_2020

Second Exomars Mission Moves to Next Launch Opportunity in 2020
European Space Agency
May 2, 2016

On 14 March 2016, the Roscosmos State Corporation and the European Space 
Agency (ESA) launched the jointly-developed ExoMars 2016 interplanetary 
mission, comprising the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the Schiaparelli lander, 
on a Proton rocket from Baikonur, thus marking the first phase in the 
European-Russian ExoMars cooperation programme.

The success achieved by Russian and European experts involved in ExoMars 
2016 is the result of long and fruitful cooperation. The ExoMars 2016 
spacecraft are due to arrive at Mars in October 2016.

The second ExoMars mission involves a Russian-led surface platform and 
a European-led rover, also to be launched on a Proton from Baikonur. Russian 
and European experts made their best efforts to meet the 2018 launch schedule 
for the mission, and in late 2015, a dedicated ESA-Roscosmos Tiger Team, 
also including Russian and European industries, initiated an analysis 
of all possible solutions to recover schedule delays and accommodate schedule 
contingencies.

The Tiger Team presented its final report during a meeting of the Joint 
ExoMars Steering Board (JESB) held in Moscow. Having assessed the possible 
ways to ensure successful mission implementation, the JESB concluded that, 
taking into account the delays in European and Russian industrial activities 
and deliveries of the scientific payload, a launch in 2020 would be the 
best solution.
 
ESA Director General Johann-Dietrich Woerner and Roscosmos Director General 
Igor Komarov discussed the ExoMars 2018 situation. After considering the 
Tiger Team report and the JESB recommendations, they jointly decided to 
move the launch to the next available Mars launch window in July 2020, 
and tasked their project teams to develop, in cooperation with the industrial 
contactors, a new baseline schedule aiming towards a 2020 launch. Additional 
measures will also be taken to maintain close control over the activities 
on both sides up to launch.
 
The successful implementation of both ExoMars missions will allow Russia 
and Europe to jointly validate cutting-edge technologies for Mars entry, 
descent, and landing, for the control of surface assets, to develop new 
engineering concepts and service systems that can be used by other Solar 
System exploration missions, and to carry out novel science at Mars.
 
Both Directors General have reiterated their resolve to implement ExoMars 
programme successfully and step up Russian-European cooperation in Solar 
System exploration.