Russia will lander collaboration with Europe mission “EkzoMars 2018″ – News Agency “Khakassia”

Khakassia, 05.08.14 08:00

The new Russian-European mission “EkzoMars 2018″ Russia will create a landing platform and provide a number of unique scientific instruments, reports “Interfax” referring to Daniel Rodionov Institute of Space Research. The announcement came on the International Space Assembly COSPAR.

“Under the agreement, Russia will provide not only the launch vehicle, as well as some scientific instruments, but also create a lander mission” EkzoMars 2018 “- said Rodionov, is the scientific director of the project “EkzoMars” from the Russian side.

During the mission to the surface of the Red Planet with the help of the developed Lavochkin landing module will be delivered to the landing platform (also developed in Russia) and rover European Space Agency (ESA) .

first phase of the project mission “EkzoMars 2016″ includes developed ESA orbiter and landing demonstration module. Orbiter spacecraft TGO (Trace Gas Orbiter) is designed to study atmospheric trace gases and water distribution ice in the Martian soil. IKI developing two instruments to TGO: spectrometric complex ACS (Atmospheric Chemistry Suite) and neutron spectrometer FRIEND (Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector).

The first of these, ACS, is designed to study the chemical composition of the atmosphere and climate of Mars.

second, called FRIEND, – this neutron detector. It is intended for registration of albedo neutrons produced in the soil of Mars under the influence of galactic and solar cosmic rays, and the construction of a high spatial resolution global maps of the distribution of water ice in the upper layer of soil of Mars. It also includes a dosimetry.

Both devices will be made before the end of 2014 and transferred evpropeyskim partners for installation on the orbiter TGO.

Landing module consists of several systems. Aerodynamic screen and rear casing assume thermal and aerodynamic load during descent in the Martian atmosphere. The two-stage parachute system for resetting speed of Mach 2.1 to subsonic at which it will be possible separation of the lander. Last, using the propulsion system will have to repay the remaining speed and gently land on the planet’s surface. Landing platform will be equipped with four legs and two landing areas for gathering rover.

objectives rovers are geological research and the search for traces of life in the subsurface of Mars near the landing site. IKI is also developing two devices to be installed on the rover. One of them is used for mineralogical analysis of the surface, the second – to build local maps of the distribution of water ice along the path of motion of the rover.

After descending from the Russian Mars rover landing platform last begin work on the scientific program, which is primarily concerned with monitoring various processes on the Martian surface, originating from the different time scales – day, season, year. Planned term work on the surface – one Martian year (about 1.8 Earth years).

Recall project “EkzoMars” was originally developed primarily by the European Space Agency, but since 2009 it has undergone some changes and had to be carried out in cooperation with NASA. However, as part of the budget cuts adopted by Barack Obama, the U.S. announced its withdrawal from the program than hit on the budget of the project and opened the way for the Russian Space Agency. However, the U.S. does not rule out return to the program in 2018.