The European Space Agency said on Monday that the launch of a European space mission with Russia to land a robot on Mars is very unlikely.
European Union sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine are likely to cause the postponement of the mission. Civil space cooperation between Russia and Western countries has progressed despite the conflict on the ground. The military conflict in Ukraine has made it difficult for both sides to separate what happens in space from what happens on the planet.
The launch of the European Space Agency's ExoMars mission, which includes a robotic rover built by the European Space Agency and a landing platform supplied by Russia, was expected to take place in the fall of this year. The two partners would attempt to land a rover named after an English scientist who helped discover the structure of the universe.
The sanctions and the wider context make a launch in 2022, according to a brief statement from the group of 22 European states.
The ExoMars mission, which was supposed to traverse the Martian surface to look for clues to potential ancient life with cameras, sensors and a drill, is likely to be delayed at least two years. When the red planet comes into alignment with Earth, a shorter journey to Mars can be had. Funding and engineering issues had delayed the mission before. The mission's most recent delay was due to the Covid-19 pandemic and technical problems.
Russia's invasion has caused civil space problems. Russia's space agency said last week that it would stop launches of its workhorse Soyuz rocket at the European Space Agency's launch site in French Guiana and bring home 87 Russian personnel.
The fate of the International Space Station and other international space partnerships has been called into question because of the war. The alliances that make up the station, a symbol of post-Cold War diplomacy, have weathered past conflicts.
What is the root of this invasion? Russia considers Ukraine to be within its sphere of influence, and it is worried that the country might join NATO or the European Union. The United States and Europe give financial and military aid to Ukraine.
Are these tensions starting now? The Russian military crossed into Ukrainian territory after the overthrow of their Russia-friendly president. There was a cease-fire in 2015, but fighting continues.
How has the Ukrainians responded? The state of emergency was declared after cyberattacks knocked out government institutions. Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law after the attacks. The foreign minister called for the world to stop the attacks.
The American section of the space station is powered by electricity and the Russian section is powered by engines. When the space shuttles were retired, NASA relied on Russia's rockets to transport its astronauts. When the Crew Dragon capsule began carrying NASA crews to space in 2020, that changed. The two sides were negotiating the launch of Russian astronauts on the SpaceX vehicle.
NASA said the new rules will allow the U.S.-Russia civil space cooperation despite Washington's new export control laws.
It would be a sad day if we can't continue to operate in space.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
