Russia to work on solo Mars mission after Europe freezes joint project

Moscow (Reuters) -Russia will begin paintings on its personal Mars assignment for the reason that the European Space Agency (ESA) has suspended a joint mission withinside the wake of the Ukraine invasion, Interfax information company quoted a pinnacle legit as pronouncing on Friday.

The ESA introduced on Thursday that it might be not possible to keep cooperating with Russia at the ExoMars assignment. A Russian rocket were because of delivery a European-made rover to Mars later this year.
“In the very close to destiny we are able to begin running at the implementation of a assignment to Mars,” stated Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roskosmos, Russia’s area company.
Interfax quoted him as pronouncing he did now no longer suppose a rover might always be wished seeing that Russia’s current touchdown module, that’s designed to move the rover, might be capable of perform the desired clinical paintings.
Rogozin stated there were “massive doubts” approximately what the ESA should do with out Russia, which already had a rocket, a release web website online and the touchdown module. The ESA might want as a minimum six years to expand its personal module, he stated.
In reaction to sanctions Roskosmos has already suspended cooperation with Europe on area launches and introduced it’d forestall presenting rocket engines to the United States.