Russia’s “Little Cossack” is being re-routed back to Russia.
Image credit: Roscosmos
The Russian Kazachok platform was destined to land on the Red Planet as part of the ExoMars 2022 mission, shown here being shipped to Europe for final assembly and testing.
Credit: Roscosmos
Think of it as a folk dance card that had not been punched.
The Russian-provided landing system for Europe’s delayed ExoMars 2022 mission to the Red Planet is re-routed back to Russia.
That hardware, the platform and its scientific instruments are being transported back to Russia through a “mutual return plan” between Roscosmos and the European Space Agency (ESA) – fallout from ESA rejecting the country’s participation in the project due to the Russian-backed war in Ukraine.
The Russian gear is presently at the Thales Alenia Space Italy enterprise (Turin, Italy).
Given the name Kazachok, “Little Cossack” is the Russian-provided stationary platform named after a Russian folk dance.
According to Roscosmos, the space agency and the Russian Academy of Sciences are exploring the possibility of exploring Mars, “taking into account the backlog of the ExoMars project, including the possibility of attracting foreign partners.”
ExoMars 2022 mission was a joint ESA/Roscosmos project. Shown is rover ready to depart Russia-provided landing module and science landing platform.
Credit: Thales Alenia Space/Master Image Programmes
