ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

Mission type

Orbiter

Operator

European Space Agency and Roscosmos

Launch date

14 March 2016

Target

Mars

Arrival at target

19 October 2016

Primary objective

Analyse the trace gases in Mars’ atmosphere

Status

Operational

ExoMars is a collaborative effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russia’s Roscosmos. Launched in March 2016, the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is part of the first instalment of an extensive exploratory mission, a venture that also includes the Rosalind Franklin rover, scheduled for touchdown on Mars in mid-2023. Accompanying the TGO was the descent module named Schiaparelli.

The TGO swung into Martian orbit on 19 October 2016 and, soon after arrival, Schiaparelli detached from