08 May 2012
Cannes, May 08 2012 - The ExoMars program is on track to
meet all objectives of both the 2016 and 2018 missions,
within the scope of an international collaboration between
the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian space
agency Roscosmos.
The program passed a major milestone in Turin from May 2-4,
2012, as partners held a meeting to define the interfaces.
The meeting was organized by ExoMars prime contractor
Thales Alenia Space-Italy, in conjunction with Astrium UK,
and with the support of ESA, the Italian space agency ASI
and Russian industry led by NPO Lavochkin, including
Krunichev and the Space Research Institute (IKI). Also
contributing were European organizations participating in
Mars science programs, including the University of Padua
and the Astronomic Observatory of Capodimonte.
The meeting defined various system aspects for both
missions, as well as the interfaces between Russian and
European instruments, including scientific instruments
provided by Italian partners. These instruments will be
used on the Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module
(EDM) in the 2016 mission and on the Rover Module being
built by a Thales Alenia Space-Italy-led team and the
Russian Descent Module (DM) for the 2018 mission..
Extensive interface and programmatic discussions took place
in view of freezing all details and agreement in June.
Program development is proceeding on schedule for both
missions, and the different program milestones have been
confirmed.
The 2016 mission is now in the C/D (design & development)
phase, following a successful System PDR (Preliminary
Design Review) in December 2010 and the Trace Gas Orbiter
PDR in December 2011. PDRs for different subassemblies and
components are in progress and the timetable for the
Critical Design Reviews (CDR) has been established. With
this interface meeting, decisions by the ESA Council and a
system CDR slated for November 2013, the program is
proceeding on schedule and is considered stable.
Deliveries for the 2016 mission will start with the
Engineering/Functional models of the avionics test benches
and the Structural-Thermal Model of the EDM starting before
this end the year. The Final Acceptance Review (FAR) and
Qualification Review (QR) are planned for September 2015,
leading to the launch campaign and then spacecraft launch
in January 2016.
The 2018 mission has been reconfigured and is now in phase
B (feasibility), to culminate in March 2013 with the System
Requirement Review. The development phase will then kick
off, leading to the system PDR in January 2014 and the
system CDR in January 2016. The system Final Acceptance
Review (FAR) and Qualification Review will be held in
October 2017, followed by the launch campaign and then a
launch scheduled for May 2018.
Thales Alenia Space Italia is the industrial prime
contractor for the ExoMars program, as well as being in
charge of the design of the Entry Descent Demonstrator
Module (EDM), the development of the Analytical Laboratory
Drawer (ALD), which includes the Pasteur Payload
instruments, its integration on the Rover, the onboard
computer and the EDM's radar altimeter. Thales Alenia Space
France is responsible for the design and integration of the
Orbiter module.
About Thales Alenia Space
The European leader in satellite systems and a major player
in orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is a joint
venture between Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%). Thales
Alenia Space and Telespazio embody the two groups' "Space
Alliance". Thales Alenia Space sets the global standard in
solutions for space telecommunications, radar and optical
Earth observation, defense and security, navigation and
science. With consolidated revenues of 2.1 billion euros in
2011, Thales Alenia Space has 7,200 employees at 10
industrial sites in France, Italy, Spain, Germany and
Belgium.
www.thalesaleniaspace.com
Thales Alenia Space Press Contact
Sandrine Bielecki - Tel: +33 (0)4 92 92 70 94
sandrine.bielecki@thalesaleniaspace.com
Tiziana Ebano - Tel: +39 06. 4151 25 74
tiziana.ebano@thalesaleniaspace.com
Tarik Lahlou - Tel: +33 (0)4 92 92 68 45
tarik.lahlou@thalesaleniaspace.com
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