NEWTOWN, Conn. - In a tough economic environment, funding has been one of the biggest difficulties for the ExoMars program. European nations have been slow to commit to spending a large amount of money for space exploration missions.
One of the primary methods ESA has utilized to get extra funding is cooperation with international partners. NASA joined the ExoMars program in mid-2009, promising to provide launch vehicles and components; however, due to budget difficulties NASA pulled out of the program in 2011, leaving ESA scrambling to find a new partner. In March 2013, ESA and Russian space agency Roscosmos signed an agreement to cooperate on the ExoMars project. Russia will provide launch vehicles and equipment for ExoMars .
While the conflict between Russia and Ukraine threatens cooperation between Europe and Moscow, there has been no interruption in the ExoMars program yet. Forecast International expects that the program will continue on schedule. Along with Russian cooperation, funding received a boost when Poland and Romania joined ESA. NASA has also agreed to supply some components, even though it will not fully participate in the effort.
The Trace Gas Orbiter launched aboard a Proton on March 13, 2016 and reached Mars in October 2016. The ExoMars Rover project has experienced delays. Originally scheduled to launch in 2018, the rover will now launch in 2020. ESA signed a contract with Thales Alenia Space in December 2016 to design and build the rover.
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