December 12, 2013
Categories: Science

American Company Lockheed Martin and British Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. got the contract for development of Mars landing probe and orbital device that will be the first unmanned mission in the framework of Mars one project that assumes creating human colony on Mars by 2023.

The first launch is planned for 2018. Lander and satellite designed to relay radio signal to the Earth will be launched to Mars. A range of technological solutions for next stages of the project and future colony will be also checked in the framework of the first mission.

Mars One concluded a contract for developing mission concept. It was planned that Lockheed will design the lander while SSTL – the orbiter. The lander will be designed on the basis of “Phoenix” probe that successfully landed on Mars in 2008 and took the first water samples.

New device is also able to take soil samples with the help of manipulator and to study the opportunities of drawing the water from the soil.

Mars One project basing in the Netherlands does not receive any financial means from the state and negotiates with potential partners and sponsors for possible financing. Besides project promoters started crowdsourcing campaign on Indiegogo website.

Image credit – Mars One

More from this category:
March 18, 2022

This morning the integrated launch vehicle Soyuz-2.1а with the manned transportation spacecraft Soyuz MS-21 was rolled out of the launch vehicle integration and test facility…

full story
January 20, 2015

On Monday, January 19, space flight participant Sarah Brightman who will be a crew member of Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft started  her training in Gagarin Cosmonaut…

full story
July 1, 2024

In early July, namely 5 July, the Earth will be at the farthest distance from the Sun. In the language of scientists – in aphelia:…

full story
July 5, 2019

On July 4, 2019, the main and backup crews of the “Soyuz MS-13” spacecraft arrived at the Baikonur cosmodrome to complete preparations for the upcoming…

full story
January 12, 2014

On January 11, 2014 world-famous Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre celebrated its 54th anniversary. Situated in Star City (Moscow region), restricted area of GCTC is of…

full story
December 18, 2019

Today, on December 18, 2019, at 11:54 (Moscow time) from the launch pad of the Guiana Space Center, the “Soyuz-ST-A” launch vehicle with the “Fregat-M”…

full story
February 6, 2015

Baikonur specialists go on working on ISS program implementation. On February 04 Progress Rocket and Space Centre specialists conducted pneumatic tests of Soyuz-U booster first…

full story
February 19, 2019

At the Baikonur cosmodrome preparations are continuing for the launch of the “Soyuz MS-12” spacecraft. Completed checking the systems and compartments of the ship for…

full story