To Mars, Russia Ready to Join US-European

Russia could provide a Proton rocket to launch missions to Mars.
Russia ready to become a full partner in the mission of exploration to be held by the United States and Europe. According to Franco Bonacina, spokesman for the European Space Agency, senior officials of NASA, ESA, and the Russian space agency Roscosmos agreed to discuss the issue.


Quoted from United Press International, December 10, 2011, Alvaro Gimenez Canete, ESA Director of Science has met with Charles Gay, Associate Administrator of NASA and Anatoly Shilov, Deputy Head Roscosmos at ESA headquarters in Paris.

Bonacina said the meeting was 'ends with optimism' that Russia could provide a Proton rocket to launch missions to Mars, led by Europe in 2016. In return, Russia will gain full membership in the exploration project.

Previously, the ESA ExoMars mission faces major obstacles due to funding reductions made ​​by NASA.

Oleg Korablyov, Deputy Director of the Space Research Institute Russian states, scientists from the country are very interested to join the project and at the same time accelerate the development of a research program to Mars country. This step can also cut costs.

As is known, Russia 17 independent effort to study the planet Mars since 1960 has always failed to be implemented. (eh)