European Space Agency suspends Mars mission with Russia

[Uncle Joe]

(CNN)The mission to launch Europe's first planetary rover -- designed to search for signs of life on Mars -- has been suspended, the European Space Agency said Thursday.

The ExoMars Rover, a collaboration between ESA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos, had been on track to leave for Mars in September this year. But ESA said last month that Russia's invasion of Ukraine had made that "very unlikely."

The decision to suspend cooperation with Roscosmos on the project was made unanimously by ESA's ruling council, which met in Paris on Wednesday and Thursday to assess the situation arising from the war in Ukraine. The council said it had authorized a study to see whether there were any options "for a way forward" for the mission.

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The space agency said in a statement that it deeply deplored "the human casualties and tragic consequences of the aggression towards Ukraine. While recognising the impact on scientific exploration of space, ESA is fully aligned with the sanctions imposed on Russia by its Member States."

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https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/17/world/exomars-suspended-european-space-agency-russia-scn/index.html

[Irish_Dem]

1. How could anyone trust a joint venture with Russia?

Putin threatens, steals, lies at the drop of a hat.

[Uncle Joe]

2. I couldn't agree more Irish Dem

Putin is too unstable and untrustworthy.

[lagomorph777]

3. One of Russia's few successful industries is space.

Russian launch services, rockets, and rocket engines are integral to many space programs and enterprises, including in America. This is beginning to have a massive global impact.