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Everything is ready to start on Monday, the European space probe ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.
This is a joint project of the European space agency (ESA) and the Russian Glavkosmos. The probe has to be put into motion a trajectory to Mars heavy Russian carrier rocket “Proton” from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Coming into orbit around Mars, the probe will be engaged in a detailed analysis of the gas composition of the atmosphere of the Red Planet.
Special attention will be given at the same time the search for traces of methane, a gas that has previously detected in the Martian atmosphere, which is a pointer to the possible presence of bacterial life on the planet
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home is scheduled for 09.31 GMT on Monday.
It will take 12 hours to conclude the probe ExoMars TGO on a trajectory to Mars using booster “Briz-M”, the third stage of “Proton”.
Experts mission control center in Darmstadt in Germany are expected to receive the first telemetry on board probe after the withdrawal of its interplanetary trajectory at 21.28 GMT.
The probe will spend in flight seven months. For three days separated by a small experimental lander “Schiaparelli” before flying to Mars from the probe.
Input Module into the atmosphere, descent and landing will give Europe a new landing technique at the surface of Mars with a controlled orientation and landing speed.
October 16 after entering the Martian atmosphere module will deploy a parachute and will complete its approach with the help of the navigation and control system based on the Doppler sensor, altimeter radar.
It is expected to survive on the surface of Mars for some time, will be used overcapacity battery power.
Offers landing place is the Meridiani Planum since it is almost flat and mountainous land surface of Mars, near the planet’s equator, ideal for safe landing system. The planned period of work on the surface will be from 2 to 8 days.
The module” Schiaparelli “is on board a number of experimental devices and equipment, experience in the application which is necessary for the planting of a new mobile laboratory, designed in Britain, already in 2018.
However, this deadline is questionable due to problems with financing. In the coming weeks it will be announced whether the start of the second phase of the European ExoMars mission in 2020.
However, this is transferred to the delay will not affect the planned work TGO probe to the Martian orbit. Over the next year the probe will slowly change the orbit parameters as long as the move into a circular orbit 400 km high.
It is from this vantage point probe devices will be engaged in the discovery and analysis of trace gases in the Martian atmosphere.
The main object of the analysis will be traces of gases that make up only 1% of the entire volume of Martian air – methane, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide
At the same time methane is of particular interest. Previous measurements show that it appears sporadically in the atmosphere and in a very low concentration. However, the mere fact of his presence is very interested in planetary scientists.
The fact is that under intense UV irradiation simple molecule of methane must quickly disintegrate. The fact that methane is still constantly appears in the atmosphere, suggests that on this planet there is some source of this gas.
One of these sources may be the interaction of water with rocks. Another explanation – the allocation of the ancient methane from thawing ice
Finally, the most exciting opportunity -. On Mars may be bacteria, waste products which is methane
On Earth, it is the bacteria are the main source. methane in the atmosphere, and there is no reason to suppose that on Mars there is no condition for the existence of bacteria.
“Whatever the explanation for the fact methane presence on Mars now, few people doubt the existence of liquid water in the surface rocks, which means that the planet is not dead and that there are any active processes “-. said the chief scientist of the project ExoMars Dr. Jorge Vago
Instruments on the probe board TGO must determine the distribution of methane emissions in dependence the time and place
Two sensors -. NOMAD and ACS – designed to determine the concentration of methane at different altitudes and latitudes, and depending on the time of year on Mars
The third device. camera CaSSIS, geological formations will track on the surface, which can be associated with liberation of methane. These data can be used as an indicator of the presence or hydrate water.
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