ExoMars:
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It is a two-stage mission:
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First Stage:
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Its first mission launched atop a Proton-M rocket in 2016 and consisted of the European Trace Gas Orbiter and test lander called Schiaparelli.
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The orbiter was successful while the test lander failed during its descent to Mars.
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Second Stage:
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It comprises a rover and surface platform.
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This second part of the mission was originally planned for July 2020. But it was postponed until September 2022 due to technical issues.
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ESA and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were the original ExoMars collaborators, but NASA dropped out in 2012 due to budgeting problems.
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Russia took NASA’s place in the project in 2013.
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Now, this stage has been postponed further due to Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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Objective:
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The primary aim of the mission is to check if there has ever been life on Mars and also understand the history of water on the planet.
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The European rover will drill to the sub-surface of Mars to collect samples from about 2 m of depth.
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The main goal is to land ESA’s rover at a site which has high-potential for finding well-preserved organic material, particularly from the history of the planet.
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