The ExoMars Schiaparelli Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM) System Design

The Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM) named Schiaparelli, was the ESA-led Mars lander element of the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars 2016 mission. Following launch on 14 March 2016 with the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and cruise to Mars, Schiaparelli separated for encounter with Mars to demonstrate entry, descent and landing technologies. Although on 19 October 2016 the final touchdown and surface operation were not achieved, other aspects were demonstrated and reported via real-time telemetry transmitted at 8 kbps in UHF during entry and descent. This paper presents a technical description of the elements of the Schiaparelli EDM system and its operation, plus reference to published post-flight analyses of the data obtained.

Automated summary

The Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM), part of the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars 2016 mission, was a Mars lander that demonstrated various technologies. While the final touchdown and surface operation were not achieved, other aspects were successfully demonstrated through real-time telemetry data.