ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Set To Transform Trajectory By 2018 To Enable Analysis Of Martian Atmosphere

The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is all set to make its entry into Mars and completely alter its orbital path. ExoMars Orbiter began orbiting Mars in the end of October 2016. This was achieved after the spacecraft had journeyed 7 months from the planet Earth.

The ExoMars Orbiter, the most recent endeavor by the European Space Agency, has indeed taken on a very important mission. It has on its agenda the vision of mapping Mars' atmosphere.

To achieve its scientific mission of mapping Mars, what is imperative is to alter the path of the TGO. Presently, the path taken will not allow it to dip into the Martian atmosphere to study and record the observation.

The European Space Agency scientists believe that altering the path of ExoMars TGO will take nearly 13 months. To explain in detail, the elliptical orbit of the probe ensures that the orbiter is far away -- as much as 60,000 miles from the Red Planet. The Trace Gas Orbiter appears twice during its four day orbit into the Martian atmosphere.

In actuality, present orbit of ExoMars  will not enable analysis of the Martian atmosphere. This is certainly the most important mission of ExoMars TGO, and if it has to be successful, then the orbital path has to be changed.

The ExoMars craft will over the next year, change its path -- first by slowing its pace and changing the course of the journey. It will change its path from what is presently an elongated one to a more circular orbit, keeping the altitude at 248 miles. Only these readings if maintained will enable a proper analysis of the Martian atmosphere.  

How will ExoMars transform its orbit? According to Phys.org, it will be employing a method called "aerobraking." The outer atmosphere of Mars will help in slowing the speed of the probe and the gravity of Mars will help draw the craft into an orbit that is a lot more closer. This will be achieved by sparing use of the engines by the TGO.

The schedule is such that ExoMars TGO is programmed to start aerobraking on March 15, 2017. According to UPI, the orbital transformation will need 13 months to change, which means in the initial part of 2018.

"This will be our first time to use aerobraking to achieve an operational orbit, so we're taking the extra time available now to ensure our plans are robust and cater for any contingencies," flight director Michel Denis said in a news release.