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SPACE launch puts Russia- team to the test Joint ExoMars mission launches and orbiter, with a rover planned for 2018.

BY ELIZABETH GIBNEY will also be the first to examine the planet’s electric field. Those data will either Europe nor Russia feed into Martian climate models has ever successfully oper- and could allow scientists to better ated a mission on Mars’s predict future disturbances to com-

Nsurface. Now the European Space munications on the planet, she says. CORVAJA/ESA STEPHANE Agency (ESA) and its Russian coun- terpart hope to mark a BIOLOGICAL STUDIES first for both organizations with the The higher-profile science — joint ExoMars 2016 mission, which including investigating hints of launched from the Baikonur Cosmo- Martian biology — will take place drome in on 14 March. in the sky on board ExoMars’ Trace ExoMars 2016 consists of a lander Gas Orbiter (TGO). That phase will that will study the planet’s dust storms begin at the end of 2017, once the and an orbiter that will analyse its craft has manoeuvred into a circu- atmosphere, including looking for lar, 400-kilometre-high orbit. methane. The orbiter will also act While studying Mars’s atmos- as a relay for a , due to be phere, the TGO’s major task will be launched in 2018. Each phase will test to follow up on evidence that the red the growing collaboration between planet contains methane, which has the two agencies, which have hinted been associated with active geologi- at further joint missions, including cal processes, as well as biological uncrewed and crewed Moon trips. ones. “Is there a seasonality to the ESA designed the orbiter and methane, or are the concentrations lander projects, but a Russian Pro- A Russian rocket launches ExoMars 2016 from Kazakhstan. associated with particular types of ton rocket launched them, and they terrain, for instance?” asks John carry Russian instruments. “The launch is cru- the rover to Mars in 2012. But it is Bridges, a planetary scientist at the University cial because it’s symbolic,” says Oleg Korablev ambitious, says Vago, and designed to show of Leicester, UK, who works on the TGO’s ste- of the Space Research Institute, Moscow, who that Europe can make a controlled landing on reo camera. The camera will use 3D images to is principal investigator for the Atmospheric Mars. Heeding lessons from 2 (Brit- chart geological features; a detector Chemistry Suite on the orbiter. “It’s psycho- ain’s failed 2003 Mars lander that was oper- will map the planet’s subsurface water. logically very important.” ated by ESA), the module will use drag from The orbiter will also serve as a communica- ESA project scientist Jorge Vago adds: the Martian atmosphere to brake, then open tions platform, including for the ExoMars rover, “Hopefully this will cement a way of doing a parachute and finally fire its thrusters. Dur- which will break new ground — literally. The things that becomes the modus operandi for ing the last 2 metres, Schiaparelli will deploy a rover will drill up to 2 metres into the surface, when we do missions together.” Based at the honeycomb-like crash pad. where organic matter, which can be destroyed European Space Research and Technology The first lander to set down during dust- by surface radiation, may lie preserved. Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, Vago storm season, Schiaparelli will monitor pressure The rover project will require the Russian also works on the ExoMars 2018 mission. and temperature and image the approaching and European teams to work together to an ESA approved the ExoMars concept in 2005; landing site as it descends. On the ground, the extent unprecedented for ESA, says Vago. In a subsequent merry-go-round of collaborators conical lander has just 2–4 days of battery power the 2016 mission, their responsibilities are rela- eventually resulted in the Europe–Russia col- to perform experiments. tively separate, but in the 2018 mission, he says, laboration and ExoMars’s unusual two-stage Its tiny meteorological station DREAMS “there is no clean line”, and each design tweak format (see ‘Mission merry-go-round’). (Dust Characterisation, Risk Assessment, and ripples through the work of both teams. It is a The ExoMars 2016 craft — the heaviest Mars Environment Analyser on the ) new experience for Russia too, says Korablev, mission ever launched, at 4,332 kilograms — will measure pressure, humidity, temperature, even though the country has long contributed is now bound for the red planet. A favourable wind speed and direction. This represents a scientific instruments to foreign space missions. alignment of and Mars means that the unique chance to study dust circulation and “There are many problems, but there are always craft should reach orbit in 7 months; the orbiter hopefully unravel the mystery of why some problems on national projects too,” he says. and landing module, Schiaparelli, will separate storms on Mars go planet-wide, says Francesca This complexity, coupled with late-running before reaching the Martian atmosphere. Esposito at the INAF Astronomical Observa- instruments, delays in testing and a lack of The landing won’t involve anything as com- tory of Capdiomonte in Naples, Italy, and the cash, means that the 2018 rover mission plex as NASA’s sky crane, which delivered principal investigator for DREAMS. The lander could be delayed until 2020, says Vago. ESA’s

288 | NATURE | VOL 531 | 17 MARCH 2016 © 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved PAUL JACKMAN/NATURE he says. “I almost don’t dare to say any words.” in 2012.“We put agreat effort into ExoMars,” lems, eventually crashing in Pacific the Ocean Martian moon , ran which into prob involvedalso inasample-return mission to the to failed which leave near-Earth orbit. He was 10 years working on Russia’s Mars 96orbiter, anhas emotional been roller coaster. He spent instrumentsthe are on craft the and working. acceptwill a delay as long as it means that all to contribute. Bridges says that scientists 2016 could help to European persuade leaders meeting in December. Success with ExoMars for missing the few hundred million euros at a to ask member agency isthe states expected more funding to its meet launch target, and said inJanuary that 2018mission the needed director-general, Johann-Dietrich Wörner, MISSION MERRY-GO-ROUND changed multipletimessinceitsconception. as wellthemissioncomponents,have The countriesinvolvedintheExoMars mission, Korablev’s involvement with Mars missions and landerlaunch. 14 March 2016 both missions. rover andcontributeinstrumentsto orbiter andlander, to launchandland Roscosmos stepsin,agrees tolaunch 2012 James Webb SpaceTelescope. rumoured tobe due tooverrunof 2011 landing capability. mission planbecauseitwants todevelop adds asecond,stationarylanderto wants orbiteraddedtomission.Europe o ers tolaunchandlandrover, and 2009 2008 single-rover Marsmission. approves ExoMars asaEurope-only, 2005 launch —subjecttofunding. 2018

Rover scheduledfor NASA pullsoutofExoMars; NASA hasfundingdiculties, Europe can’tgoitalone;NASA Worldwide nancialcrisis. European SpaceAgency(ESA) Rover

Orbiter Lander Orbiter ■ - © 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited. Allrights reserved C two missions to Venus and acamera that include atrip to Jupiter’s , chance to launch early inthe 2020s.These missionsposed are currently for vying a costs are capped at $450million. Five pro quick-turnaroundsmall, missions whose NASA’s Program, Discovery funds which California. Propulsion in Pasadena, Laboratory (JPL) Banerdt,Bruce works who at NASA’s Jet again,” says InSight’s principal investigator, to do and agreed to give us a chance it to try value the recognized of we’re science going planetthe and movement the of its surface. ity, as well as heat the that is escaping from Mars’s interior by measuring activ seismic ready in time. InSight to investigate seeks spacecraft’s faulty seismometer be will for May 2018, it is not clear the whether forscheduled month this —is now slated in development. missions other affect planetary will about how expense unexpected the raising spacecraft, the fly questions said on 9March that it intends still to mission to red the planet. But agency the to price the of tag InSight, NASA’s next BY DEVINPOWELL was by developed collaboration aglobal InSight’s troubled seismometer, which unaffected,” to be is expected he says. least one mission Discovery in December out by August. “Our ability at to select missionsother worked planetary be will that budget and details consequences to divisionscience inWashington says DC, proposed mission to the . in Tempe and principal investigator of a scientist atetary falling,” says Elkins-Tanton, Linda aplan oflikelihood that happening might be and community’s the concern is that the missions out of round this instead of one, would near-Earth detect objects. Decision to defer InSight launch willcostUS$150million. could delay missions NASA Mars woes Then there is matter the of whether Jim Green, director of NASA’s planetary- “NASA to two choose trying has been ofThe was as developed spacecraft part “We’re really grateful that NASA has Although InSight’s launch — originally will addroughlywill US$150million on earthquakes to detect Mars racks in an instrument designed 17 MARCH 2016 | VOL 2016 | NATURE 531| MARCH 17 |289 - - -

but persistent remained. leaks project to patch team tried problem, the become apparent. seals cracks inthose The Mars-like temperatures did inDecember instrument the when was tested infrigid, leading out of vacuum the housing. Only connectors that are wires supposed to seal sensors, didnot any detect problems with container to enclose seismometer’s the company subcontracted to build avacuum repaired.can be byled Paris the Institute Physics, of Earth on another planet,” he says. withstand harsh environmental conditions of type instrumentthis built has been to is first time the mistake.made this “This ing to build instrument anew could have control directly,” says Elkins-Tanton. groups that don’t they know well so or don’t a little more of collaborating wary with spent on foreign sources. more than one-third of instrument costs be with InSight —mandated occurred that no to do.” we’re going science value of recognized the NASA has grateful that “We’re really to account for updated the launch date. landing simulations and recalculating orbits University Bloomington. Pratt,Lisa abiogeochemist at Indiana responsibility for vacuum the chamber,” says relieved to know taking that be JPL will atber own their “Personally, expense. Iam French collaborators test cham the will hardier vacuum chamber. The agency’s NASA has asked JPL the to craft anew, FUTURE FIX .” l l e w thing on else project the was going really mission for more than 25 years, and every “I’ve working been on getting of kind this Banerdt French the says that Sodern, But Green argues that any nation try word“The on street the is that NASA’s The Mars InSight team is now re-running “It’s frustrating,” very says Banerdt.

before problem the proposals —made missioncovery recent for call Dis projects. The most reinsthe on future NASA to tighten couldtake cause mis the whether Some wonder ■ - - - - -