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York U experts available for comment on ExoMars mission
By Staff
March 10, 2016
10:30 am
TORONTO, March 10, 2016 – The next robotic visitor from Earth to Mars is about to begin its long journey. The much-awaited launch of ExoMars 2016, a collaborative venture between the European Space Agency and the Russian Space Federation, is scheduled for Monday, March 14, 2016.
The mission consists of a Trace Gas Orbiter and a lander called Schiaparelli, both of which should arrive at Mars in October 2016. The goal is to search for methane and other gases in the Martian atmosphere that would indicate the existence of life, as as well to test key technologies for subsequent missions to the planet.
“Mars remains a destination of intense interest for scientists and the public alike,” says Paul Delaney, director of the York University Astronomical Observatory and the Division of Natural Science in the Faculty of Science. “Any time a lander is destined for the surface, the challenges and rewards are higher, so ExoMars 2016 will be an exciting mission to follow.”
The following York U experts are available to comment on the mission:
Paul Delaney, director of the York University Astronomical Observatory and the Division of Natural Science, Faculty of Science
Jesse Rogerson, PhD candidate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science. Available by phone or Face Time.
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Media Contacts:
Sandra McLean, York University Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097 / sandramc@yorku.ca
