ESA says "very unlikely" ExoMars mission to launch on Russian rocket
Posted: Sat, Mar 5, 2022, 11:28 AM ET (1628 GMT)
ESA said Monday that it is "very unlikely" it will launch its ExoMars mission on a Russian rocket this year. The agency said sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine "and the wider context" made it unlikely it would proceed with the launch, scheduled for late September on a Proton rocket, with a formal decision to be prepared by ESA's director general. ESA did not disclose what alternative plans it had for the mission, which will place the Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars. Russia was providing the launch and a landing platform for the rover, which may need to be replaced if ESA elects to launch the mission on another rocket.
ESA said Monday that it is "very unlikely" it will launch its ExoMars mission on a Russian rocket this year. The agency said sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine "and the wider context" made it unlikely it would proceed with the launch, scheduled for late September on a Proton rocket, with a formal decision to be prepared by ESA's director general. ESA did not disclose what alternative plans it had for the mission, which will place the Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars. Russia was providing the launch and a landing platform for the rover, which may need to be replaced if ESA elects to launch the mission on another rocket.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, March 31
Europe's engines powering Artemis II
ESA — 6:42 am ET (1042 GMT) Eight more satellites added to IRIDE space programme
ESA — 6:42 am ET (1042 GMT) Seven missions launched to test optimised data transfer from space
ESA — 6:42 am ET (1042 GMT) ESA marks 60 years of Star Trek at London's Science Museum
ESA — 6:42 am ET (1042 GMT) Vandenberg SFB supports National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Transporter-16 mission
US Space Force — 6:39 am ET (1039 GMT) |
