ESA Won’t Launch ExoMars Rover This Year Over Russia-Ukraine Crisis

ExoMars, the European Space Agency's (ESA) rover that was supposed to arrive on Mars later this year, is having difficulty catching a break yet again as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict hampered the mission launch.

The present conflict is harrowing for ExoMars, according to New Atlas, because the rover mission to look for indications of life on Mars has already been delayed significantly.

Space agencies originally planned to launch ESA's ExoMars mission in 2018. However, they pushed it back due to technical challenges, several tests, and COVID-19 constraints.

Gizmodo said ExoMars is a cooperative mission of the European Space Agency and Russia's Roscosmos space agency. Its purpose is to look for organic compounds or possibly indications of life on Mars.

The ExoMars rover was set to launch this autumn and arrive on Mars in 2023, when it would have joined NASA's two rovers and lander, as well as a Chinese rover, which are currently on the planet. Thanks to last week's military action against Ukraine and the subsequent international sanctions, that deadline is now a pipe dream.

ExoMars Rover 2022 Launch Moved As ESA Sanctions Russia

The European Space Agency (ESA) Member States got together and slapped a punishment on Russia due to its recent activities in the news. In a statement, the ban now impacts the ExoMars Rover 2022 mission.

Russia will have sole rights to the information obtained, including those of the country's partners involved in this endeavor. A rover's job is not simple since it will take years to finish excavating and preparing for its return voyage to the planet, which is also fraught with danger.

Russia's activities concerned Roscosmos and its Soyuz rocket operations, with the European Space Agency claiming that Russia is unable to focus on its missions at this time.

The government withdrew from several space initiatives, resulting in punishment against its varied tasks that were about to be launched to the world.

It has a significant impact on the Mars Rover, especially because the mission aims to reach the Red Planet in the following months.

On Monday, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher apologized for the delay, calling the rising conflict in Ukraine a "crisis."

In a tweet, Aschbacher said ESA has been taking many difficult decisions into consideration as governments of its Member States implemented the sanctions.

About ExoMars Mission

SpaceNews said ExoMars was supposed to launch in mid-2020 with Rosalind Franklin's rover onboard. However, ESA postponed the launch until September 2022, citing the pandemic's effects and technical concerns, such as the landing system's parachutes, which were unlikely to be completed in time.

Aside from the launch, Russia contributes to the Kazachok landing platform, which will transport the rover to the Martian surface. Suppose ESA decides not to work with Russia on ExoMars any longer. In that case, it's unclear whether or how the agency will replace Kazachok and find a new launch vehicle. In late 2024, the next launch window will open.

In general, the ESA stated it is "fully executing" sanctions against Russia imposed by its 22 member nations. They said they are examining the implications for each of their existing activities, which are carried out in collaboration with the Russian state space agency Roscosmos. ESA also aligns its decisions with the Member States in close conjunction with our industry and international partners.

It involved, among other things, collaboration with NASA on the International Space Station, according to the report. Kathy Lueders, the NASA assistant administrator for space operations, stated the invasion and following penalties had had no impact on ISS operations during a news briefing on Feb. 28 on the impending Ax-1 commercial trip to the ISS.

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