It is now “highly unlikely” that, according to the European Space Agency (ESA), the launch of the Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars will take place in 2022, as part of the joint ExoMars space mission from Europe and Russia. The reason is the latter’s invasion of Ukraine and the ever-deteriorating Euro-Russian relations, after the EU and US sanctions against Moscow.
In a statement, ESA – a 22-member intergovernmental body, including Greece – expressed its sorrow over “the loss of human life and the tragic consequences of the war in Ukraine.” He stressed that “we fully implement the sanctions imposed on Russia by our Member States.” He points out that following the decision of the Russian space agency Roscosmos to stop the launching of “Soyuz” rockets from the European spacecraft Kourou in French Guinea, South America, an attempt will be made to fill the gap by the existing European rockets, as well as -C and Ariane-6.
Regarding the Euro-Russian program ExoMars, it is stressed that “sanctions and the wider framework of conditions make a launch in 2022 very unlikely”. The British-made six-wheeled rover “Rosalind Franklin” (named after the British scientist who contributed to the discovery of DNA), which also has a drill to dig in the Martian subsoil, was scheduled to be launched in September this year with a Russian rocket from the cosmos. Kazakhstan and land on Mars after eight months with the help of the also Russian landing system “Kazakhstan”. If the short time “window” for launching to Mars (between the end of September and the beginning of October) is not used, then the launch should take place after 26 months, when their orbits will have brought the Earth closer to the “red” again. planet.
For decades, the West and Russia have managed to cooperate even in the Cold War or in the midst of geopolitical crises such as the Crimea in 2014. But the invasion of Ukraine may prove to be a key point, as it now seems more difficult to continue such cooperation. . Questions remain as to whether the ExoMars mission will eventually be canceled, whether it will be postponed until Euro-Russian relations improve or whether the Europeans will seek to move forward on their own. But designing, building and testing a new landing system to replace the Russian Kazachok will take more than two years.
On the other hand, especially with regard to the International Space Station (ISS), international space cooperation is necessarily expected to continue, otherwise the very existence of the station is threatened. However, the US space agency (NASA) is already considering ways to keep the station in orbit even without Russian help. The American companies Northrop Grumman and Space X, according to the French Agency, could help in this case.
For now, however, Moscow has given no indication that it intends to leave the SAA. The Russian section of the DSS and the Russian Progress rocket “parked” in it are responsible for promoting and navigating the entire station, as well as for periodic changes in its orbit, so that it does not gradually lower and enter the Earth’s atmosphere, but to remains at the current altitude of about 400 km. The Station has been hosting astronauts from many countries continuously for over 21 years.
Finally, NASA announced that the 1.8-kilogram and solar-powered Ingenuity helicopter of the Perseverance rover made its 20th flight to Mars. In a flight of 130 seconds, it covered a distance of 391 meters at a speed of 4.4 meters per second.
SOURCE: AMPE
Source: Capital
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