ExoMars press briefing

In October 2016, teams at ESA's ESOC mission control centre, Darmstadt, Germany, oversaw the separation of the Schiaparelli test lander from the ExoMars/TGO orbiter (16 October) followed by the atmospheric entry and descent of Schiaparelli and the capture into Mars orbit of TGO (both on 19 October). On 20 October, senior managers conducted a media briefing to announce the success of TGO and the ongoing analysis of data received from the lander. Visitors included ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst.