ESA marks ten years since Trace Gas Orbiter reached Mars orbit

The European Space Agency reported that its ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter reached Mars on 19 October 2016, entering an elliptical orbit around the planet. ESA Exploration described the spacecraft as its most sophisticated Mars explorer, marking a decade of operations in Martian orbit. [1][2]

The primary objectives of the uncrewed mission are to scan the atmospheric environment for methane and other trace gases. These gases could serve as indicators of active biological or geological activity on the planet. Additionally, the orbiter serves as a platform to test key technologies ahead of future exploration, including the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission. [1][3]

The spacecraft was launched as a collaborative initiative between ESA and the Russian Roscosmos agency under the European-led ExoMars programme. Along with the atmospheric orbiter, the mission carried the Schiaparelli entry, descent, and landing demonstration module to Mars. [3]

The spacecraft had a total launch mass of 4,332 kilograms, which included the 577-kilogram Schiaparelli module. The orbiter itself has a central body measuring 3.2 metres high by 2 metres wide and deep, alongside deployable solar arrays spanning 17.5 metres from tip to tip that generate up to 2,000 watts of power. [5]