Exomars
ExoMars official says launch unlikely before 2028
A key official for Europe’s ExoMars mission believes that the rover’s launch will be pushed back until at least 2028 to accommodate changes after ending cooperation with Russia.
ESA continues talks with NASA on ExoMars cooperation
The European Space Agency is continuing discussions with NASA on how the agencies can work together to revive ESA’s ExoMars mission after ending cooperation with Russia.
ESA suspends work with Russia on ExoMars mission
ESA has formally halted plans to launch its ExoMars mission on a Russian rocket in September in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
ESA says it’s “very unlikely” ExoMars will launch this year
The European Space Agency said Feb. 28 that it is “very unlikely” that its ExoMars mission will launch this September because of sanctions on Russia from its invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. and Europe say space cooperation with Russia not affected yet by Ukraine crisis
American and European officials said Feb. 23 that space cooperation with Russia remains unaffected even as that country continues to threaten a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
ExoMars on schedule for September launch
After missing its initial launch window in 2020 in part because of the pandemic, the European Space Agency’s ExoMars mission is on schedule for a launch in September.
ESA resumes ExoMars parachute tests
The European Space Agency has resumed tests of the parachutes for its ExoMars lander, a system whose problems contributed to a two-year delay in the mission’s launch.
UAE Mars mission to ship to launch site
A Mars orbiter developed by the United Arab Emirates will ship to its launch site in Japan this week, its launch preparations affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
ESA restores operations of space science missions
ESA has restored operations of four space science missions it placed on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, a move that illustrated how one agency’s actions can affect others.
ExoMars rover mission delayed to late 2022
The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission has been delayed to 2022 due to a lack of time to qualify hardware vital to the spacecraft.
ExoMars parachute tests delayed, mission faces review
The European and Russian space agencies have delayed crucial ExoMars 2020 parachute tests to late March, with the mission also set to undergo review.
ESA seeks new cooperative agreement with EU
With its funding secured for the next three years, the head of the European Space Agency is now focused on implementing those key programs while establishing a new cooperative agreement with the European Union.
ESA remains confident it will fix ExoMars parachutes
Top officials with the European Space Agency remain confident that they will be able to resolve the parachute problems that threaten to delay next summer’s launch of the ExoMars 2020 rover mission.
ESA turns to NASA to assist in crucial ExoMars parachute tests
ESA needs to succeed with two upcoming parachute tests or will see the ExoMars 2020 landing mission slip to 2022.
ESA confirms second ExoMars parachute test failure
The European Space Agency said Aug. 12 that another test of the parachutes that will be used on the ExoMars 2020 lander mission failed last week, putting the schedule of the mission into jeopardy.
European Mars lander suffers parachute damage in test
Development of a European-Russian Mars lander hit a setback when the spacecraft’s parachutes malfunctioned in a recent test, but project officials said they still have time to correct the problem before its launch in a year.
ESA investigation finds Schiaparelli spacecraft was “ill-prepared” to make Mars landing
The spacecraft, a landing technology demonstrator, flew to Mars on the ExoMars 2016 mission, but crashed when it prematurely shut down its thrusters.
ESA: Mars lander crash caused by 1-second inertial measurement error
The European Space Agency on Nov. 23 said its Schiaparelli lander’s crash landing on Mars on Oct. 19 followed an unexplained saturation of its inertial measurement unit, which delivered bad data to the lander’s computer and forced a premature release of its parachute.
OHB, still growing, focused on German, European government hardware programs
Satellite and rocket hardware builder OHB of Germany on Nov. 16 said delays in its supply chain had put pressure on its revenue in recent months but that the company’s full-year profitability would be unaffected.
