The European Space Agency (ESA) has now doubled their efforts on Mars mission in 2020. Half a billion Euros are now been poured by ESA to be dedicated to the next phase of the Exomars 2020 program.
From the ashes of the failed mission of Schiaparelli lander that crashed landed on Mars last year, Exomars 2020 are set to launch this 2020. Other parts of the mission are progressing as planned as well as the design and engineering works continue.
According to ESA, the Exomars 2020 rover will land at the site highly potential for finding a well-preserved organic material particularly from the early stage of the life on Mars. By drilling far down from the targeted potential site will help scientists find traces of water, veins of minerals that may indicate biological processing.
Exomars 2020 rover will be the first mission to combine the capability to move across the surface and to study the Mars depth. Per the article published by TC News, the main drill reaches 6 feet deep. The Exomars 2020 rover will collect the samples from the drill and analyze them with the next-generation instruments in an on-board laboratory. The samples collected will include biomarkers since the Martian atmosphere offers little protection from radiation and photochemistry at the surface.
Multispectral imaging, infrared spectrometer, a macro camera for close-up imaging (CLUPI) and a neutron detector plus ground penetrating radar for selecting good spots to drill are also installed in the Exomars 2020 rover for better explorations and imaging. Likewise, the rover also has a big PanCam for visible light images in 2D and 3D imaging that will send back quality and well-defined images from Martian samples.
With the collaboration of Russian platform, the Exomars 2020 mission to Mars will be launched in July 2020 and is expected to land on the red planet by March 2021. However, still, the Exomars is still in its planning stages and scientists are deciding between various potential landing sites.
