The landing platform is part of the ExoMars- 2020 spacecraft of the European Space Agency and Roscosmos State Corporation.
Roscosmos will provide a launch vehicle for launching the ExoMars 2020, a descent vehicle and an automatic Martian station, a landing platform. The payload of the descent vehicle: landing platform and rover [1] . After landing, the landing platform will receive images of the landing site, meteorological measurements and atmospheric research. The nominal duration of work is the earth year [2] .
The weight of the landing platform is 827.9 kg, including 45 kg of scientific instruments [2] .
It was planned to launch the spacecraft in 2018 and land on Mars in early 2019 [1] , but due to delays in the performance of work by European and Russian industrial contractors and in the implementation of mutual deliveries of scientific instruments, the launch date was moved to the July launch window 2020 years [3] .
Scientific instruments of the landing platform [2] :
- The LaRa radio science experiment (from LAnder RAdio-science experiment) will study the internal structure of Mars, and make accurate measurements of the planet’s rotation and orientation by monitoring the two-way Doppler frequency shifts between the landing platform and the Earth. He will also record changes in angular momentum due to redistribution of masses, such as the transfer of ice from polar caps to the atmosphere. The device is designed in Belgium.
- Habitability, Brine, Irradiation and Temperature ( HABIT ) is a tool for measuring the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, daily and seasonal fluctuations in air and soil temperature, as well as measuring UV radiation. Designed in Sweden.
- Meteorological complex ( METEO-M ). Designed in Russia. The complex contains:
- Pressure and humidity sensors ( METEO-P, METEO-H ). Designed in Finland.
- Radiation and dust sensors ( RDM ). Designed in Spain.
- Anisotropic magnetic resistance sensor for measuring magnetic field ( AMR ). Designed in Spain.
- Magnetometer MAIGRET . Designed in Russia. The device contains a wave analyzer - module ( WAM ), developed in the Czech Republic.
- Landing Site Environmental Assessment Kit ( TSPP ). Designed in Russia.
- An electronics unit for collecting scientific data and managing scientific equipment ( BIP ). Designed in Russia.
- Fourier spectrometer for atmospheric research, including the registration of small atmospheric components (methane, etc.), temperature and aerosol monitoring, as well as the study of the mineralogical composition of the surface ( FAST ). Designed in Russia.
- neutron and gamma spectrometer with dosimetry unit for studying the distribution of water in the surface soil layer and the elemental composition of the surface at a depth of 0.5-1 m ( ADRON-EM ). Designed in Russia.
- Multichannel diode laser spectrometer for monitoring the chemical and isotopic composition of the atmosphere ( M-DLS ). Designed in Russia.
- Passive radiometer for measuring surface temperature to a depth of 1 m ( PAT-M ). Designed in Russia.
- “Dust complex” - a set of instruments for studying dust near the surface, including an impact sensor and a nephelometer, as well as an electrostatic detector ( Dust Suite ). Designed in Russia.
- Seismometer SEM. Designed in Russia.
- Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for Atmospheric Analysis ( MGAP ). Designed in Russia.
- Source of energy
Russia is exploring the possibility of using radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) for powering scientific instruments [4] , as well as radioisotope heaters for maintaining heat in modules on a frozen Martian surface [5] .
Choosing a landing site
Following a review by the ESA group, in October 2014, a short list of four landing sites was selected. They were officially recommended for further detailed analysis: [6] [7]
- Mawrth vallis
- Oxia planum
- Hypanis vallis
- Aram dorsum
On October 21, 2015, the Oxia Planum site was selected as the preferred landing site for the ExoMars launch vehicle launched in 2018. However, since the launch was delayed until 2020, the areas of Aram Dorsum and Mawrth Vallis [8] [9] are still being considered.
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Russia and Europe Team Up for Mars Missions . Space.com (March 14, 2013).
- ↑ 1 2 3 Exomars 2018 surface platform . ESA .
- ↑ N ° 11–2016: Second ExoMars mission moves to next launch opportunity in 2020 . ESA (May 2, 2016).
- ↑ Jonathan Amos. Looking forward to Europe's 'seven minutes of terror' . BBC News (June 21, 2013).
- ↑ Anatoly Zak. ExoMars-2020 (formerly ExoMars-2018) mission . RussianSpaceWeb.com (March 3, 2016).
- ↑ Four Candidate Landing Sites for ExoMars 2018 . SpaceRef.com (October 1, 2014).
- ↑ Recommendation for the Narrowing of ExoMars 2018 Landing Sites . ESA (October 1, 2014).
- ↑ Jonathan Amos. ExoMars rover: Landing preference is for Oxia Planum . BBC News (October 21, 2015).
- ↑ Nancy Atkinson. Scientists Want ExoMars Rover to Land at Oxia Planum . Universe Today (October 21, 2015).
Links
- ExoMars 2020 / Rover Surface Platform Website of IKI RAS
- ExoMars 2020 Space Complex Website of the Lavochkin NGO
- Bulletin of the NGO named after S. A. Lavochkin, 2014 No. 2