Corporate | 14 March 2016 14:50
DGAP-News: OHB SE / Key word(s): Miscellaneous
2016-03-14 / 14:50
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Baikonur, March 14th 2016
The ExoMars 2016-Mission, including the Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli,
was launched this morning at 09:31 GMT (10:31 CET) aboard a Russian Proton
rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The confirmation of the
spacecraft separation, solar array deployment and first acquisition of
signal is scheduled today for 21:10 GMT (22:10 CET).
ExoMars2016 is a joint endeavour between ESA and Russia's Roscosmos space
agency, and comprises the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and Schiaparelli, an
entry, descent and landing demonstrator.
As a part of the European industrial team, OHB System AG (subsidiary of OHB
SE, Prime Standard, ISIN DE0005936124) was responsible for developing the
core module of the TGO, which comprises the structure as well as the
thermal and propulsion system for the 2016 mission. The prime contractor
Thales Alenia Space Italia is leading the industrial team with contractors
from many ESA Member and Cooperating States, while OHB System, as member of
the core industrial team, is responsible for the major German contribution
to ExoMars.
The TGO will make a detailed inventory of Mars' atmospheric gases, with
particular interest in rare gases like methane, which implies that there is
an active, current source. TGO aims to measure its geographical and
seasonal dependence and help to determine whether it stems from a
geological or biological source.
Marco Fuchs, CEO of OHB said: "The launch of ExoMars2016 marks a key step
in the implementation of the full ExoMars-Program. We are very proud to be
part of this ambitious international science and research program and are
now looking forward to realizing also our sophisticated parts of the
ExoMars2018-Mission."
Meanwhile, Schiaparelli will demonstrate a range of technologies to enable
a controlled landing on Mars in preparation for the future mission. After a
seven-month cruise, the lander will separate from the TGO on 16 October and
land on Mars on 19 October, for several days of activities.
TGO will then enter orbit around the Red Planet ahead of its exciting
multiyear science mission. It will also serve as a data relay for the
second ExoMars-Mission, comprising a rover and a surface science platform,
planned for launch in 2018. The launch of ExoMars 2016 marks the beginning
of a new era of Mars exploration for Europe.
About the ExoMars Program:
ExoMars is a joint project of ESA and the Russian space organization
Roscosmos. It comprises two missions which will be heading for Mars in 2016
and 2018 to find answers to the important question as to whether life ever
existed on that planet. To this end, it will be taking soil samples from
the planet's surface and analyzing them. The ExoMars program covers the key
entry, descent, landing, drilling and exploration technologies.
The Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) now is on its way to Mars together with the
"Schiaparelli" landing module.
The purpose of the TGO is to find proof of methane or other atmospheric
gases which indicate the existence of biological or geological processes on
Mars.
The TGO has several tasks in the two missions. In the 2018 mission it will
be communicating with both the fixed Russian ground station and the
European rover.
The second mission with the ESA Rover and the Russian ground station is
scheduled for May 2018 and will reach the planet at the beginning of 2019.
Contact:
Investor Relations
Martina Lilienthal
Tel.: +49 421 - 2020-720
Fax: +49 421 - 2020-613
E-Mail: martina.lilienthal@ohb.de
Corporate Communications
Martin Stade
Tel.: +49 421 - 2020-620
Fax: +49 421 - 2020-9898
E-Mail: martin.stade@ohb.de
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2016-03-14 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Language: English
Company: OHB SE
Karl-Ferdinand-Braun-Str. 8
28359 Bremen
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)421 2020 8
Fax: +49 (0)421 2020 613
E-mail: ir@ohb.de
Internet: www.ohb.de
ISIN: DE0005936124
WKN: 593612
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated
Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich,
Stuttgart
End of News DGAP News Service