Following a preliminary contract signed in 2008, this marks a major milestone for Thales Alenia Space, program prime contractor. As part of the 643 million euros global budget committed to date, the contract has awarded Thales Alenia Space the additional portion, worth 146 million euros to complete the 2016 mission, and an additional tranche worth about 70 million euros to cover a significant part of the follow-up mission in 2018.
ExoMars is a co-operative program between the European Space Agency and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos as equal partners in the Program. In addition to equipment, scientific experiments and ground segment support, Roscosmos will contribute to the major element of the descent module for the 2018 mission and provide two Proton launches for the missions.
Thales Alenia Space Italia is the industrial prime contractor of the ExoMars Program. For the 2016 mission it is building the EDM (Entry Descent Module), a technology demonstrator for entry and descent on Mars, while the TGO (Trace Gas Orbiter) orbiting module will be built at Thales Alenia Space’s site in Cannes.
The ExoMars Entry Descent Module, photo courtesy of Thales Alenia Space.
For the 2018 mission, Thales Alenia Space Italia is in charge of developing the navigation and guidance system for the Carrier Module and Descent Module, as well as designing the Rover System and building an Analytical Laboratory, to be integrated on the Rover. The lab features a system designed to drill and collect samples from the Martian soil.
“The perseverance and tenacity of the European and Italian Space Agencies gave guarantee and continuity to the work of the industrial team members and allowed the continuation of all activities intended to minimize the development risks inherent in such a new and complex mission”, emphasized Elisio Giacomo Prette, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italia. He added: “We also would like to thank and warmly welcome as new partner the Russian Space Agency on-board this exciting adventure”.
The 2016 mission is on track, with the system Critical Design Review expected by the end of the year. The EDM (Entry Descent Module) is completing structural tests at Thales Alenia Space’s laboratories in Turin. Integration of the spacecraft flight model should begin by early 2014, with the launch slated for January 2016. The 2018 mission is also proceeding, with the development of the Rover system, which includes the Rover vehicle and the Automatic Laboratory Drawer (ALD). Thales Alenia Space's goal is to carry out a mission Preliminary Design Review by the spring of 2014, kicking off the final development phase in the second half of 2014. This mission is scheduled for launch in May 2018.
Also during their presence at the Paris Air Show, Thales Alenia Space signed an agreement with Swiss Space System (S3) for the development of the pressurized compartment intended to house scientific experiments and astronauts of the SOAR (Sub-Orbital Aircraft Reusable) suborbital vehicle. Swiss Space Systems is a young Swiss aerospace company whose goal, from now until 2018, is the development, construction, certification and operation of suborbital spacecraft for launching small satellites up to a weight of 250kg. This agreement will allow S3 to further develop the project, also proposing research applications in the areas of microgravity and suborbital passenger transportation. The S3 project also takes advantage of the prestigious collaboration of ESA’s Astronaut Center and of other important aerospace industries.
Artistic rendition of the SOAR suborbital vehicle, courtesy of Thales Alenia Space.
Based on this Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two companies, Thales Alenia Space will provide its know-how in order to design the pressurized compartment which, depending on mission requirements, will be configured as a laboratory intended to house scientific and technological experiments or to accommodate passengers. The definition of the finalization of a preliminary phase of the contract between Thales Alenia Space and S3 is expected for the end of the summer.
“Thales Alenia Space, with its proven experience and capability in the human flight and space transportation sector, is undoubtedly the ideal and most qualified partner to support Swiss Space Systems in the development of the pressurized module of the SOAR project, said Luigi Maria Quaglino, Senior Vice President Domain Exploration and Science. “It is important to underline that Thales Alenia Space continues to support the operational life of the International Space Station through the production of the 9 Pressurized Modules for the Cygnus spacecraft developed on behalf Nasa with Orbital Sciences Corporation, whose first launch is expected in September 2013 from Wallops launch site. At the same time we are already working on the design and construction of the MPCV vehicle (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle) for transporting the Orion capsule within the framework of the ESA-NASA cooperation on the project”.