The first in Europe landing of a moving probe Mars later this year “very likely” will be canceled as a result of the war Ukraineaccording to new reports.
The launch of ExoMars Rover to the Red Planet in June was planned as a joint operation of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russian space agency Roscosmos, but is now threatened by the following Vladimir PutinRussia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This is because the last blow since launch in July 2020 has been postponed coronavirus pandemic.
It is clear that this conflict involved international reaction and harsh sanctions Russia now complicate the collaboration between the two agencies.
(Image: AFP / Getty Images)
Space missions to Mars must be launched on a tight schedule to avoid getting out of order, and any delays could cause a serious problem.
An ESA statement said: “We are fully complying with the sanctions imposed on Russia by our member states.
We assess the implications for each of our current programs in cooperation with the Russian state space agency Roscosmos, and align our decisions with those of our member states in close coordination with industrial and international partners (particularly NASA). on international space). Station) “.
(Image: PA)
Last week a technical tycoon Elon Musk swore his SpaceX would save the International Space Station after Russia threatened to abandon its countries imposing economic sanctions against its invasion of Ukraine.
Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin on Friday night made a terrible threat on social media in response to US statements. The President Joe Biden’s range of sanctions, which he said would “worsen Russia’s aerospace industry.”
Rogozin, head of Roskomas, asked if the United States wanted to “destroy our cooperation on the ISS.”
He warned: “If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from uncontrolled departure from orbit and fall into the United States and Europe?”
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