ExoMars 2020 surface platform

The ExoMars ''Kazachok'' ( rus, Казачок; formerly ExoMars 2020 Surface Platform) was a planned robotic Mars lander led by Roscosmos, part of the ExoMars 2022 joint mission with the European Space Agency. ''Kazachok'' translates as "Little Cossack", and is also the name of a folk dance.

The plan calls for a Russian Proton-M rocket to launch the Russian-built lander that will deliver the ''Rosalind Franklin'' rover to the surface of Mars. Once safely landed, ''Kazachok'' will deploy the rover and will start a one Earth-year mission to investigate the surface environment at the landing site.

The spacecraft was scheduled to launch in 2020 and land on Mars in mid 2021, but due to the failure of the entry parachutes to pass testing, the launch was moved to a twelve-day launch window starting on 20 September 2022.

In March 2022, amidst the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Space Agency voted to suspend their cooperation with Russia on the ExoMars mission, placing the future of the ''Kazachok'' lander in jeopardy. ESA would later terminate their cooperation with Russia on the project.

Scientific instruments

The ''Kazachok'' lander project is led by Roscosmos, but its scientific payload will also include two European instruments and European contributions to four Russian-led instruments. The payload mass is about 45 kg and consists of the following instruments (plus an instrument interface and memory unit (BIP)): Controller for in-situ pressure and humidity measurements on board ExoMars 2020 Surface Platform
Nikkanen, Timo; Genzer, Maria; Hieta, Maria; Harri, Ari-Matti; Haukka, Harri; Polkko, Jouni; Meskanen, Matias. 20th EGU General Assembly, EGU2018, Proceedings from the conference held 4-13 April, 2018 in Vienna, Austria, p.7507. April 2018. Developed by Finland. The sensors have extensive heritage from those in the ''Curiosity'' rover, ''Schiaparelli'' lander and ''Phoenix'' lander.
** Meteorological boom, incorporating: 3 atmospheric temperature sensors; Solar Irradiance (SIS20) and Dust (DS20) sensors (developed by Spain); METEO-H (see above), and wind sensor.
** Anisotropic Magneto-Resistance (AMR) sensor to measure magnetic fields. Developed by Spain.
** Optical Depth Sensor (ODS).
** Microphone.
** Descent and Landing Unit (MTK-L) for atmospheric temperature and pressure, and acceleration & angular rate.
** Upward-looking LIDAR.
* A magnetometer (MAIGRET), developed by Russia. The instrument will incorporate the Wave Analyser Module (WAM), developed by the Czech Republic.
* A set of four cameras (TSPP) to characterise the landing site environment. Developed by Russia.
* An IR Fourier spectrometer (FAST) to study the atmosphere. Developed by Russia.
* Active Detection of Radiation of Nuclei-ExoMars (ADRON-EM). Developed by Russia, including also a radiation dosimeter (Liulin-ML) from Bulgaria.
* Multi-channel Diode-Laser Spectrometer (M-DLS) for atmospheric investigations. Developed by Russia.
* Radio thermometer (RAT-M) for soil temperatures. Developed by Russia.
* Dust particle size, impact, and atmospheric charging instrument suite (PK). Developed by Russia, including also contributions from Italy (MicroMED) and France (electrical conductivity sensor).
* A seismometer (SEM). Developed by Russia.
* Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (MGAK) for atmospheric analysis. Developed by Russia.

;Power source
The science and communication instruments on the lander will be powered by solar panels and rechargeable batteries.

Russia previously evaluated the option of using a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) to power the science instruments, and a radioisotope heater unit (RHU) to provide thermal control while on the frozen Martian surface.

Landing site selection

After a review by an ESA-appointed panel, a short list of four sites was formally recommended in October 2014 for further detailed analysis:
*Mawrth Vallis
*Oxia Planum
* Hypanis Vallis
* Aram Dorsum

On 21 October 2015, Oxia Planum was chosen as the preferred landing site for the ExoMars rover, now the ''Rosalind Franklin'' rover, assuming a 2018 launch. But since the launch was postponed to 2020, Aram Dorsum and Mawrth Vallis are also being considered. ESA convened further workshops to re-evaluate the three remaining options and in March 2017 selected two sites to study in detail:
* Mawrth Vallis
* Oxia Planum

After deliberation, ESA selected Oxia Planum to be the landing site in November 2018.

References

External links

ExoMars 2020
by NPO Lavochkin (in Russian)
ExoMars Rover and Surface Platform
at ESA's Planetary Science Archive

{{Use British English, date=January 2014

ExoMars
Landers (spacecraft)
Cancelled space probes
European Space Agency space probes
Russian space probes
Attached spacecraft
Proposed astrobiology space missions
Events affected by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine