Mars-orbiting spacecraft delivers 20,000th image, and it's a beauty
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has been eyeing Mars for years.
NASA takes up a lot of the limelight when it comes to Mars missions, but the red planet is an international destination. The European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has been in residence since 2016 and has sent back some impressive images. On Thursday, ESA released the spacecraft's glorious 20,000th image.
The image comes from the Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) camera. It managed to snap a particularly scenic spot for the visual milestone.
The snapshot comes from Dec. 13, 2020, and shows part of a "wrinkle ridge system" on a volcanic plateau. It gives scientists a peek at the history of Martian geology in the region.
"Wrinkle ridges are tectonic features that form in layered basalt lavas due to loading and flexure of the planet's crust and upper mantle," ESA said in a statement. "These tectonic stresses are caused by the planet's interior cooling and subsequent contraction."
ExoMars is a joint mission from ESA and Russia's Roscosmos space agency. The orbiter is one part of a larger endeavor that includes the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, which is expected to launch in 2022.
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