During these hours we wrote about the water found in the equatorial zone of March by the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) probe of the joint ESA-Roscosmos mission ExoMars. However, this exploratory phase has several parts and TGO was only the first (with the unfortunate lander Schiaparelli). The next will be Mars Rover Rosalind Franklin and of Kazachok lander.
The two units will join those currently active on the Red Planet such as Zhurong (CNSA) and Curiosity, Perseverance and Ingenuity (NASA). The launch is scheduled for September 2022 while the arrival on Mars is scheduled for June 2023, hoping that in the meantime the other rovers will still be functional.
ExoMars Rosalind Franklin and the parachute test
The development of parachute for this space mission it was already in the past a particularly complex point to carry out. In 2019 and 2020, previous tests were unsuccessful. Thanks to the analyzes and some changes in mid-2021, the first high altitude test of a parachute was successful.
ESA And Roscosmos they acquiesceNocited these days that the double high-altitude opening test is over. The tests took place on November 21 and December 3 in Oregon and involved the subsonic parachute of the second stage of 35 meters in diameter, one of those that will ensure Mars Rover Rosalind Franklin will arrive safe and sound on the surface.
The two blocks tested opened correctly, respecting the expected parameters. Thierry Blancquaert (ExoMars program manager) said “We have maximized the lessons learned from all previous tests and with this double success following the impressive deployment of the parachute first stage earlier this year, we are off to a very good start for launch. We have demonstrated that we have two parachutes to fly to Mars”.
Next year there will be further testing and analysis for the first and second stage parachutes. The final models will include a first stage carried out by airborne systems while the second stage will be built by Arescosmos. A first pilot parachute, then a 15m supersonic main parachute (first stage) will be used to land. Once these are separated there will be another pair of pilot/main (second stage) parachutes and finally rockets to further slow the descent of the pair Kazachok Lander – Rosalind Franklin rover.
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