The Council of the European Space Agency (ESA) took a series of important decisions on Wednesday 13 April in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including the suspension of its cooperation missions with Russia in the field of lunar exploration, namely the Luna-25, Luna-26 and Luna-27 missions.
“As with ExoMars (see EUROPE 12913/6), the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the resulting sanctions put in place represent a fundamental change in circumstances and make it impossible for ESA to implement the planned lunar cooperation”, reads a press release from the Agency.
The Agency announced that it had already reached an agreement with NASA, the US space agency, to send Prospect, a mission including a lunar drill, which was initially to be flown on board Luna-27. ESA is also looking for another flight option to send its navigation camera, PILOT-D, which was to be on board Luna-25.
Similarly, it is exploring various solutions for its PILOT landing and hazard avoidance system, a key technology for the European Large Logistic Lander (EL3) project.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher also signed an agreement with the Japanese space agency, JAXA, to carry a measurement instrument on board the Lupex lunar rover mission, a joint project between JAXA and ISRO, the Indian space agency.
ExoMars. In addition, ESA has confirmed that the ExoMars mission will not be launched in September. A “fast-track” study is underway under the leadership of Thales Alenia Space to assess possible future options, however, the Agency said. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)