# ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

> European-Russian Mars orbiter

**Wikidata**: [Q2090722](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2090722)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trace_Gas_Orbiter)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/exomars-trace-gas-orbiter

Here’s the structured knowledge entry for **ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter**:

---

## Summary  
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is a European-Russian Mars orbiter designed to study trace gases in the Martian atmosphere, particularly methane, which could indicate biological or geological activity. Launched in 2016, it serves as a communications relay for surface missions and carries scientific instruments to analyze atmospheric composition and surface features.

---

## Key Facts  
- **Launch Date**: March 14, 2016, from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200 aboard a Proton-M rocket.  
- **Operators**: Joint mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos State Corporation.  
- **Mass**: 3,755 kg (takeoff), with a payload mass of 113.8 kg.  
- **Dimensions**: 2 m (width) × 3.2 m (height) × 2 m (length).  
- **Orbit**: Areocentric orbit with an altitude of 400 km, orbital period of 2 hours, and inclination of 74°.  
- **Manufacturer**: Thales Alenia Space.  
- **Followed by**: Rosalind Franklin rover and ExoMars 2018 surface platform (later delayed).  
- **Primary Mission**: Detect and analyze trace gases like methane in Mars' atmosphere.  
- **Twitter Handle**: @ESA_TGO (verified, with ~49,735 followers as of February 2023).  

---

## FAQs  
### Q: What is the purpose of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter?  
A: Its primary goal is to study trace gases in Mars' atmosphere, especially methane, to determine potential biological or geological sources, while also serving as a communications relay for surface missions.  

### Q: Who built and operates the Trace Gas Orbiter?  
A: The orbiter was built by Thales Alenia Space and is jointly operated by ESA and Roscosmos. It was launched using Russia's Proton-M rocket.  

### Q: When did the Trace Gas Orbiter arrive at Mars?  
A: It entered Mars' orbit on October 19, 2016, after launching on March 14, 2016.  

---

## Why It Matters  
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter represents a critical collaboration between Europe and Russia in Mars exploration. By analyzing trace gases like methane, it addresses one of Mars' biggest mysteries: whether the gas originates from biological processes (e.g., microbial life) or geological activity (e.g., subsurface reactions). Its high-resolution instruments also map surface water-ice and act as a vital communications hub for future missions, such as the Rosalind Franklin rover. The mission advances our understanding of Mars' habitability and prepares for eventual human exploration.  

---

## Notable For  
- **First ESA-Roscosmos Mars Mission**: Marks the first major joint Mars exploration effort between Europe and Russia.  
- **Methane Detection**: Equipped with highly sensitive spectrometers to pinpoint methane sources at unprecedented precision.  
- **Relay Role**: Provides essential data relay services for NASA's Perseverance rover and ESA's future surface missions.  
- **Social Media Presence**: One of the few planetary missions with an active, verified Twitter account (@ESA_TGO).  

---

## Body  
### Mission Overview  
- Part of the **ExoMars program**, a joint ESA-Roscosmos initiative to investigate Mars' atmosphere and surface.  
- Launched on **March 14, 2016**, arriving at Mars on **October 19, 2016**.  

### Technical Specifications  
- **Mass**: 3,755 kg (total), 113.8 kg (payload).  
- **Dimensions**: 2 m × 3.2 m × 2 m.  
- **Orbit**: Circular areocentric orbit at 400 km altitude, 74° inclination, 2-hour orbital period.  

### Scientific Instruments  
- **NOMAD**: Spectrometer suite for detecting trace gases.  
- **ACS**: Analyzes atmospheric chemistry and isotopes.  
- **CaSSIS**: High-resolution stereo camera for surface imaging.  
- **FREND**: Neutron detector to map subsurface hydrogen (water-ice).  

### Launch and Operations  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Proton-M with Briz-M upper stage.  
- **Launch Site**: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.  
- **Operator**: ESA and Roscosmos jointly oversee mission operations.  

### Follow-on Missions  
- Originally planned to support the **Rosalind Franklin rover** (delayed to post-2022).  

---

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Spacecraft",
  "name": "ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter",
  "description": "European-Russian Mars orbiter studying trace gases and serving as a communications relay.",
  "url": "http://exploration.esa.int/jump.cfm?oid=46475",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trace_Gas_Orbiter"
  ],
  "operators": ["European Space Agency", "Roscosmos State Corporation"],
  "launchDate": "2016-03-14",
  "manufacturer": "Thales Alenia Space"
}

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013