Another casualty of Russia-Ukraine war: ESA-ROSCOSMOS's Mars life-hunting mission
ESA-ROSCOSMOS
The Russian aggression on Ukraine has laid waste to many things: towns, lives, cultural heritages and a scientific inquiry. The European Space Agency has "officially" ended its association with Russia for a life-hunting Mars rover mission. As per Space.com, the mission that was scheduled to launch in the latterpart of this decade, in the late 2020s was initially suspended over Russia's invasion of its neighbour. As part of a larger project, dubbed ExoMars, the European Space Agency (ESA) had been developing the alien life-seekingmission in collaboration with its Russian equivalent, Roscosmos. However, now ESA chief Josef Aschbacher has announced that this suspension will be upgraded to a termination.
Watch |European Space Agency suspends joint space mission with Russia
Taking to Twitter, Aschbacher said, "today@ESA Council addressed the ExoMars Rover and Surface Platform mission, acknowledging that the circumstances which led to the suspension of the cooperation with Roscosmos – the war in Ukraine and the resulting sanctions – continue to prevail."
He added, "As a consequence, Council mandated me to officially terminate the currently suspended cooperation with Roscosmos on the ExoMars Rover and Surface Platform mission."
Also read |Tensions in ISS: Russia announces that it will be ending space cooperation with NASA, ESA
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In the initial concept, the Roscosmos and Russian military-run Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan would have served as the launch location for the Rosalind Franklin rover. Additionally, a lander calledKazachok,created by the Russians was meant to land with Rosalind Franklin and launch Rosalind.
As per the ESA chief"new insights on the way forward with other partners" will be provided during a media briefing on 20 July.
This decision will of course have significant effects on the mission.
Rosalind Franklin was supposed to launch in September, but mission team members have said that a launch before 2028 is now doubtful due to the requirement to locate a new rocket and a new landing platform.
(With inputs from agencies)
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