ESA’s next Mars probe begins final testing
APR 02, 2015
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.028762
BBC : The Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is scheduled to launch in January 2016 on a mission to study the Martian atmosphere and to drop a small test lander onto the surface. Constructed by Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, France, TGO will undergo mechanical, thermal, and vacuum testing over the next several months. The Mars probe is primarily a European Space Agency project, but Russia’s Lavochkin aerospace company has made significant contributions to the lander’s descent systems. Although the US has cut back its participation, NASA is still providing technical support for both the lander and the satellite.
© 2015 American Institute of Physics
