From Earth to Mars: ESA’s Ambitious Plans for the Red Planet
The European Space Agency (ESA) has set its sights on Mars, with ambitious plans to explore and eventually send humans to the Red Planet. The agency has been actively working on various missions and projects to further our understanding of Mars and pave the way for potential human exploration.
ESA’s ExoMars mission is a joint endeavor with the Russian space agency Roscosmos, aimed at studying the Martian environment and searching for signs of past or present life. The mission consists of two separate phases, with the first phase involving the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the Schiaparelli lander. The TGO arrived at Mars in October 2016 and has been studying the planet’s atmosphere in search of methane and other gases that could indicate biological or geological activity. Unfortunately, the Schiaparelli lander crashed during its descent to the surface, but the TGO continues to gather valuable data.
The second phase of the ExoMars mission will involve the Rosalind Franklin rover, which is scheduled to launch in 2022. The rover will be equipped with a suite of instruments to analyze the Martian surface and subsurface, including a drill to collect samples for analysis. The goal is to determine whether Mars was ever habitable and to search for signs of past microbial life.
In addition to the ExoMars mission, ESA is also collaborating with NASA on the Mars Sample Return mission, which aims to bring samples of Martian rock and soil back to Earth for analysis. This mission is a crucial step in our quest to understand the planet’s geology and potential for life.
Looking further ahead, ESA has outlined its vision for future human missions to Mars. The agency’s Aurora program envisions sending humans to Mars by the 2030s, with the goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Red Planet. ESA is currently studying the technologies and capabilities needed for such a mission, including life support systems, propulsion systems, and radiation protection.
ESA’s ambitious plans for Mars reflect the agency’s commitment to exploring the solar system and expanding humanity’s reach beyond Earth. By studying Mars and preparing for potential human missions, ESA is helping to pave the way for a future where humans could live and work on another planet. With the ExoMars mission and other projects in the works, ESA is at the forefront of Mars exploration and is poised to make significant discoveries in the years to come.
