ExoMars first year in orbit

An overview animation of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter’s expected path around Mars between October 2016 and December 2017. The spacecraft entered orbit on 19 October 2016, on a highly elliptical path that took it between about 250 km and 98 000 km from the planet in about 4.2 days. The main science mission is intended to take place from a near-circular 400 km orbit, starting in early 2018. The spacecraft will achieve this orbit by aerobraking – using the planet’s atmosphere to slow down , o