ESA uses cookies to track visits to our website only, no personal information is collected.
By continuing to use the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. OK
Find out more about our cookie policy.
    • → European Space Agency

    • ESA Web TV

    • Videos on demand

    • Videos for professionals

    • Next Transmissions

    ESA > Television > 2018 > 02 > Good progress
    Login | Register

    Search and order online

      • Filter (Broadcast quality)
        • All
        • Videos: any
        • Videos: online
        • Videos: tape
        • Transmissions
        • Broadcast quality
    • Advanced Search

    Good progress

    • Watch in:
    • en
    Download MP4 (6.32 MB)
    Source MP4 (30.32 MB)

    Details

    Open/Close
    • Video Online only
    • Title Good progress
    • Released: 21/02/2018
    • Language English
    • Footage Type Animation
    • Copyright ESA/J. Bauer
    • Description

      In less than a minute, this speeded-up animation depicts the progress made by ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter during its year-long aerobraking campaign at Mars, between January 2017 and March 2018. It shows the lowering of the apocentre (point of furthest separation from Mars) on each orbit, at right, owing to the slight drag imparted by the faint wisps of Mars’ upper atmosphere at pericentre (point of closest approach) on each orbit, at left.

      The pause around the 20 second point corresponds to the pause in aerobraking in summer 2017 due to Mars conjunction, when the Sun, Earth and Mars lined up in their orbits, blocking reliable radio communication between the two planets.

      The final orbit, approximately 380 x 420 km and almost circular, will be attained around mid-April. This orbit will be optimised for science observations for the spacecraft’s instruments and for catching signals from surface rovers for relay to Earth.

    TAGS

    Open/Close
    • Activity Operations, Space Science
    • Mission ExoMars
    • Keywords Mars, Orbit, Orbits, Trajectory

    TAGS

    Open/Close

    Details

    Open/Close

    Clips

    Open/Close

    No broadcast quality clips available

    Clips

    Open/Close

    ESA TV NOTIFICATIONS

    ALL TRANSMISSIONS

    VIDEO DISTRIBUTION

    USEFUL LINKS

    EUROVISION WorldLink

    Europe by Satellite

    Euronews Space

    NASA Television

    Roscosmos TV

    Arianespace News

    Hubble Telescope

    USING OUR VIDEOS

    Terms and Conditions

    Help

    Contact us

    • Connect with us
    • Subscribe
    • FAQ

    • Contacts

    • Terms and conditions

    • Privacy notice

    • Careers at ESA

    • Subscribe