ExoMars programme: search for existence of alien life on Mars 26/08/2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags:

THE EXOMARS PROGRAMME

 

For: Mains

Topics covered: All about the ExoMars programme


 

News Flash

The ExoMars programme is expected to launch sometime in between July 26-August 13, 2020.

  • Mars 2020 will land on Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021.
  • ExoMars programme is a joint venture between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos.
  • The programme’s Rosalind Franklin rover will primarily search for the existence of alien life on the red planet.
  • NASA has also planned to launch its Mars 2020 rover next year sometime in July.

 

Highlights

  • ExoMars programme’s Rosalind Franklin rover will primarily search for the existence of life on the neighbouring planet.
  • Rosalind Franklin rover recently got equipped with a high-tech camera, PanCam, that will help it track the locations where there can be pieces of evidence of past or existing life.
  • The PanCam consists of three cameras, two wide-angle devices that takes panoramic images, and a filter wheel that enables them to image in 12 different wavelengths.
  • There is also a high-resolution camera that takes further images in full color.
  • The PanCam, with its stereo and high-resolution cameras, will be providing detailed views of geologically interesting features in visible and near-infrared wavelengths.

 

Robotic Toolkit

  • NASA has incorporated the bit carousel containing all of the tools the coring drill uses to sample the Martian surface into the Mars 2020 rover.
  • It is a mechanism that will play a key role in the acquisition, containment and eventual return to Earth of humanity’s first samples from another planet.

 

European Space Agency (ESA)

  • The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space.
  • ESA is an international organisation with 22 Member States.
  • ESA’s programmes are designed to find out more about Earth, its immediate space environment, our Solar System and the Universe, as well as to develop satellite-based technologies and services, and to promote European industries.
  • Its headquarters are in Paris which is where policies and programmes are decided.

 

Source: Indian Express

 

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