Post by ArianeGroup

ExoMars: heat shield enters integration phase The European ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Mission has reached another major milestone at ArianeGroup’s Issac site with the arrival of the Martian capsule’s Front Shield structure. Following a successful vibration test campaign designed to validate its mechanical resistance to the stresses of launch and the journey to Mars, the Front Shield has now entered the integration clean room. Teams have begun installing the Norcoat® Liège HPK space-grade cork thermal protection system, a material qualified by ArianeGroup to withstand the extreme conditions of Martian atmospheric entry. A key element of the mission, this heat shield will protect the Rosalind Franklin rover during its entry into the Martian atmosphere, when the capsule will reach speeds of nearly 21,000 km/h and temperatures of up to 1,800°C. With this new industrial phase, ArianeGroup teams continue to contribute to one of Europe’s most ambitious Mars exploration missions. ExoMars overall Program is led by Thales Alenia Space Italia (TAS-I) for the European Space Agency - ESA. The Rosalind Franklin rover, developed by Thales Alenia Space Italy and Airbus Defence and Space UK, will search for signs of past or present life on Mars, notably using a drill capable of extracting samples from up to two metres below the surface. #RocketMakers #SpaceIndustry #Civil #Innovation