By 
October 15th, 2016
ESA’s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany – ready for ExoMars 2016’s mission to begin.
Credit: ESA
On Sunday, October 16, 2016, the European Space Agency’s ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) will release its entry, descent and landing demonstrator, Schiaparelli, towards the Red Planet.
ESA will livestream this critical and milestone-making event, starting on October 16th at 10:30 AM Eastern Time.
Go to:
www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/ExoMars/Watch_ExoMars_arrival_and_landing
Artist’s impression depicting the separation of the ExoMars 2016 entry, descent and landing demonstrator module, named Schiaparelli, from the Trace Gas Orbiter.
Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
Several missions in one
ExoMars is several missions in one.
Its orbiter is a science and relay mission. The TGO will search for evidence of gases, such as methane, that may be associated with geological or biological processes.
The Schiaparelli lander is a technology demonstrator to test key technologies for future missions to Mars.
The landing site for Schiaparelli is an elliptical region close to the equator in the planet’s Meridiani Planum area.
Artist’s impression of Schiaparelli, the ExoMars entry, descent and landing demonstrator module, as it approaches the Martian surface.
Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
Wobble time
At ESA’s ESOC control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, control teams are preparing for separation of Schiaparelli from the TGO.
For separation, releasing the 1,272 pound (577 kilograms) lander will make TGO wobble. This could affect the very sensitive antenna pointing needed to ensure a full data link, so mission controllers will monitor progress only via the basic radio carrier signal, with the signal acting like a beacon.
To obtain an update on the ExoMars 2016 mission, ESA has issued a set of videos: ExoMars at Mars; Mars arrival orbits; and Schiaparelli’s descent to Mars.
To access these informative videos, go to:
http://livestream.com/ESA/marsarrival/videos
Posted in Space News
