After repeated delays and the loss of its Russian-built rockets, Europe’s ExoMars rover is go for launch again, in 2028, government ministers agreed last week.
In building a new, Russia-free landing system, “we are not starting from scratch,” says Thierry Blancquaert, ESA’s ExoMars team leader. Most components on Schiaparelli worked faultlessly, and ESA provided—and can reuse—some systems on Kazachok, including its parachutes, radar, radio communications, and the onboard computer. Engineers will now remove these from the Russian lander, which remains in Italy, where it was due to be mated with the rover when Russia invaded.
NASA may also provide radioisotope heaters, power packs that use the decay of plutonium-238 to keep the rover from freezing during the frigid martian nights. If it does, U.S. regulations require that the heaters fly on a U.S. launcher, which would most likely be a SpaceX Falcon-Heavy or a Vulcan Centaur from United Launch Alliance.
Two other rovers—NASA’s Perseverance and China’s Tianwen-1—have almost a decade’s head start. But an ESA study found that the science ExoMars will provide after it lands in 2030 would still be worthwhile—especially investigations using its deep drill. For the scientists involved, there is no doubt: “No mission can replace ExoMars,” Ciarletti says.
The real losers of the new arrangement are scientists—both Russian and European—who designed instruments to be mounted on the Kazachok lander. Because of the tight timetable for developing the new ESA lander, it will not do any science. “My feeling is of great discouragement due to the current geopolitical situation,” says Francesca Esposito of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, who built a dust sensor for the earlier lander.
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