A European Space Agency robotic orbiter, ESA's first mission to another planet, launched on 2 June 2003 to study Mars and its moons. Although its accompanying Beagle 2 lander failed to fully deploy after landing, the orbiter has operated for over two decades, conducting high-resolution imaging, mineralogical mapping, atmospheric studies and subsurface radar analysis, with its mission extended into the late 2020s.
Facts
Mission TypeRobotic Mars orbiter mission 1 OutcomeOngoing; the orbiter remains operational after more than two decades at Mars, extended through at least 2026 with a provisional extension to 2028, despite the Beagle 2 lander's failure. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia: Mars Express, lead sectionQuote, Wikipedia: Mars Express, lead section
Mars Express is a space exploration mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) exploring the planet Mars and its moons since 2003, and the first planetary mission attempted by ESA.
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