Почему Schiaparelli разбился на Марсе

Самой заметной деталью снимка, сделанного американским зондом, является парашют российско-ейропейского аппарата. На расстоянии около одного километра к северу от него было замечено нечеткое темное пятно размером примерно 15 на 40 метров. Оно было интерпритировано как след от аппарата, который находился в режиме свободного падения дольше, чем было запланировано.

#NASA’s #Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has identified new markings on the surface of the Red Planet that are believed to be related to #ESA’s #ExoMars Schiaparelli entry, descent and landing technology demonstrator module. Schiaparelli entered the #martian atmosphere at 14:42 GMT on 19 October for its 6-minute descent to the surface, but contact was lost shortly before expected touchdown. Data recorded by its mothership, the Trace Gas Orbiter TGO, are currently being analysed to understand what happened during the descent sequence. In the meantime, the low-resolution CTX #camera on-board MRO took these pictures of the expected touchdown site in Meridiani Planum. They have a resolution of 6 metres per pixel and show two new features on the surface. One is bright and can be associated with the 12-m diameter parachute used in the second stage of Schiaparelli’s descent, after the initial heat shield entry. The parachute and the associated back shield were released prior to the final phase, during which its nine thrusters should have slowed it to a standstill just above the surface. The other new feature is a fuzzy dark patch roughly 15 x 40 metres in size and about 1 km north of the parachute. This is interpreted as arising from the impact of the Schiaparelli module itself following a much longer free fall than planned, after the thrusters were switched off prematurely. Estimates are that Schiaparelli dropped from a height of between 2 and 4 kilometres, therefore impacting at a considerable speed, greater than 300 km/h. The relatively large size of the feature would then arise from disturbed surface material. It is also possible that the lander exploded on impact, as its thruster propellant tanks were likely still full. These preliminary interpretations will be refined following further analysis. A closer look at these features will be taken next week with HiRISE, the highest-resolution camera onboard MRO. A substantial amount of extremely valuable Schiaparelli engineering data were relayed back to the TGO during the descent and is being analysed by engineers day and night. For more click link in bio. #space Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Видео опубликовано ESA (@europeanspaceagency) Окт 21 2016 в 10:47 PDT

По оценкам экспертов,  Schiaparelli упал с высоты от двух до четырех километров на большой скорости – более 300 километров в час, сообщает сайт Европейского космического агентства. Также возможно, что спускаемый аппарат взорвался при ударе о Марс, поскольку при приземлении его баки по-прежнему были полны топлива. Эти предварительные версии требуют дальнейшего анализа.

Decoding of #ExoMars lander demonstrator module #Schiaparelli data is underway! ������ Essential data was sent by the lander to its mothership, the Trace Gas #Orbiter, during the module’s descent to the Red Planet’s surface yesterday. It has been downlinked to #Earth and is currently being analysed by experts. ������ Early indications from both the #radio signals captured by the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), an experimental telescope array located near #Pune, #India, and from orbit by #ESA’s #MarsExpress, suggested the module had successfully completed most steps of its 6-minute descent through the #martian atmosphere. This included the deceleration through the #atmosphere, and the parachute and #heat shield deployment, for example. ������ But the signals recorded by both Pune and Mars Express stopped shortly before the module was expected to #touchdown on the surface. Discrepancies between the two data sets are being analysed by experts at ESA’s space #operations centre #ESOC n #Darmstadt, #Germany. ������ The data have already been partially analysed and confirm that the entry and descent stages occurred as expected, with events diverging from what was expected after the ejection of the back heat shield and parachute. This ejection itself appears to have occurred earlier than expected, but analysis is not yet complete. The thrusters were confirmed to have been briefly activated although it seems likely that they switched off sooner than expected, at an altitude that is still to be determined. ������ Check latest updates by tapping the link in our bio. ��credit: ESA. #space #science #technology #exploration #mars

Фото опубликовано ESA (@europeanspaceagency) Окт 20 2016 в 2:54 PDT

Миссия "ЭкзоМарс" – совместный двухэтапный проект "Роскосмоса" и ЕКА. Стартовавший 14 марта с Байконура аппарат, достигнув орбиты Красной планеты, разделился. Один модуль должен был продолжить исследования с орбиты, а второй – спуститься на поверхность Марса и заняться поисками следов метана в атмосфере планеты.