ESA Kills Joint Russian Mission To Mars

The European Space Agency and Russian space agency Roscosmos had planned a joint mission to Mars. However, the ESA has now canceled that mission after Russia invaded Ukraine.

An official statement from the ESA read, “As an intergovernmental [organization] mandated to develop and implement space [programs] in full respect with European values, we deeply deplore the human casualties and tragic consequences of the aggression towards Ukraine.”

The ESA Council overseeing the agency ruled unanimously on Thursday of this week to suspend the ExoMars mission that was supposed to launch this September. With the ESA pulling out of the mission, it may never happen, but it would be at least two years away.

The launch window for any mission to Mars comes around only once every two years. Earth and Mars orbit the sun at different rates and are aligned about once every 26 months. When in alignment, missions have the most efficient route between the two planets.