News Planetary Science

Coronavirus and technical issues delay a Mars mission’s launch

The joint European-Russian mission to launch the ExoMars rover was postponed to 2022

The launch of the ExoMars rover Rosalind Franklin, seen in this illustration, is delayed until 2022.

ESA

By Lisa Grossman

- More than 2 years ago

A joint European and Russian mission to Mars is being postponed from July until sometime in 2022, as the coronavirus pandemic is preventing scientists from resolving a few technical difficulties, the European Space Agency said March 12.