European lander starts historic 3-day descent to the surface of Mars
A landing probe dispatched by the European Space Agency has begun its three-day descent to the surface of Mars, where it will take photos and measurements for research purposes. Two American rovers, Curiosity and Opportunity, are already on the planet collecting data.
A joint project of the ESA and Russia's Roscosmos space agency, the Schiaparelli lander will be Europe's first craft on the red planet if it lands successfully. This is the second such attempt after Britain's Beagle 2 lander crashed in 2003, and a European rover is scheduled to arrive on the planet in 2020.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
