ExoMars In Photos: Schiaparelli Probe's Mars Landing Day

The European Space Agency’s stage at the European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany on Oct. 19 for the arrival of ExoMars 2016. The mission includes two spacecraft: the Trace Gas Orbiter and the Schiaparelli lander. on Mars

This infographic illustrates the steps of Schiaparelli’s descent and landing on Mars.

Artist’s illustration of ExoMars’ Schiaparelli lander about to touch down on the Red Planet. The lander fired its thrusters at about 0.68 miles (1.1 km) above the surface to slow down before impact.

In a press briefing on Oct. 20, ESA officials explain that contact has been lost with the Schiaparelli lander.

ESA’s mission operators await the landing of the Schiaparelli spacecraft at the ESOC mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany on Oct. 19.

Mission control operators use these computers at the European Space Agency’s mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany, to monitor Schiaparelli on its way to Mars.

The team of scientists who worked on the Schiaparelli lander crowds around the monitors at ESA’s space operations center in Darmstadt, Germany, while waiting on a signal from Schiaparelli.

ESA provided “good luck peanuts” to the ExoMars crew to keep them fueled for the duration of the mission’s arrival at Mars.

ESA’s mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany, fell dead silent as everyone anxiously awaited a signal transmission from ExoMars after the spacecraft ‘s orbit insertion.

By the time the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter had entered Mars’ orbit, ESA lost contact the the spacecraft flew behind Mars. At 12:34 p.m. (18:34 CEST) on Oct. 19.

Michel Denis, Flight Operations Director for ExoMars, could barely contain his enthusiasm when ESA received the signal from ExoMars.

The ExoMars 2016 mission control room in Darmstadt, Germany was ecstatic to hear from ExoMars after a long, gut-wrenching wait.

This stuffed frog joined ESA at the mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany, on the day of Schiaparelli’s planned landing.

ESA officials pose for a photo at the ESOC mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany on Oct. 19 before the anticipated landing of the Schiaparelli spacecraft. From left to right: Mission Director Don McCoy, Operations Manager Daniel Firre, Flight Operations Director Michel Denis.

The faint line on this screen signaled to ESA that the Schiaparelli entry, descent and landing demonstrator module had woken up at 9:43 a.m. EDT (15:43 CEST) on Oct. 19.

ESA officials observe the wake-up signal received from Schiaparelli via India’s Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) as Schiaparelli woke up before descending to the surface of Mars.

This photo taken Oct. 18 at ESA’s mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany shows a replica of the ExoMars Schiaparelli lander.

Schiaparelli touched down on Meridiani Planum, a relatively smooth, flat region on Mars, on October 19, 2016. The lowest areas of elevation on this map are shown in green, while the highest areas are dark brown. The large crater on the right (East) of the image is Endeavour, which is about 14 miles (22 kilometers) in diameter. NASA’s Opportunity rover has been studying its western rim since 2011.

This image is an artist’s impression of the Schiaparelli spacecraft on the surface of Mars.

An artist’s illustration of the ExoMars 2016 Schiaparelli lander (right) separating from its Trace Gas Orbiter mothership on Oct. 16, 2016 ahead of a planned Oct. 19 landing. The orbiter will stay in orbit around Mars after the drop-off.

The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter will investigate atmospheric gases on Mars that are present in small concentrations (less than 1% of the atmosphere). Scientific instruments onboard the Orbiter include an infrared radiometer to detect chemicals, dust and water vapor, along with spectrometers able to detect elements at trace levels (MATMOS and NOMAD). A stereo imaging camera (HiSCI) and a wide-angle multi-spectral camera (MAGIE) will provide images of the planet’s surface.

The Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM) configuration with a transparent view of the heatshield, showing the internal accommodation of the EDM surface platform.

A model of ExoMars’ Schiaparelli lander prepares for thermal tests in Cannes, France.

The European Space agency revealed a full-size model of the ExoMars entry, descent and landing module, Schiaparelli.

ExoMars 2016 spacecraft composite underwent encapsulation within the launcher fairing at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 2, 2016.

ExoMars 2016 spacecraft composite underwent encapsulation within the launcher fairing at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 2, 2016.

The ExoMars spacecraft and its Proton rocket, inside a facility at Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 5, 2016.

The ExoMars 2016 spacecraft (inside the fairing) and the Breeze-M upper stage of Russia’s Proton rocket are transported to an area at Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome to be integrated with the rest of the Proton launch vehicle. Photo taken on March 5, 2016.

The Proton rocket that launched the ExoMars 2016 spacecraft to Mars was raised into a vertical position at the launch pad at Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on March 11, 2016.

The first phase of the European-led ExoMars program blasts off on March 14, 2016 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.