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Russian company to produce lander module for Exomars-2020 mission in 2019 — source

Russia’s Lavochkin Company will complete fabrication of a lander module with a platform for the second stage of Exomars space mission scheduled to 2020

© ESA/ATG, archive

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ESA: A lot will depend on the results of the first ExoMars mission

MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Lavochkin Company will complete fabrication of a lander module with a platform for the second stage of Exomars space mission scheduled to 2020, a source in the space industry told TASS on Monday.

"The unit consists of two components - flying and landing modules. It is intended to complete production of the unit and the landing platform nine months’ prior to launching the second Exomars mission, that is, in 2019," the source said.

Lavochkin has already started fabrication of the unit and the platform, the source said. "Their comprehensive tests will be carried in Europe," he added.

The second phase of Exomars mission is scheduled to 2020. Dispatch of the Russian landing platform and the European Mars rover is provided at this stage of the research project. Drilling and testing of Mars soil will be the key objectives of the stage. Researchers believe traces of organic life may be preserved at the depth of several meters.

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