The European Space Agency's ExoMars spacecraft tested out its imaging system from orbit around Mars, giving us a tantalizing teaser of what's to come as the mission continues to investigate the Red Planet. The ESA compiled a series of images taken in November into a video released on Tuesday.
The video gives us a fly-over view of craters, sweeping formations and sharp valleys. The video concludes with a message saying "...and this is just the beginning..."
The Trace Gas Orbiter's main purpose is to catalog the rare gases in Mars' atmosphere, which include nitrogen dioxide and methane, but the Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) is on board to send visuals back to Earth. According to the ESA, CaSSIS "will characterise sites that have been identified as potential sources of trace gases and investigate dynamic surface processes."
ExoMars reached its destination in October after launching back in March. Part of the mission didn't pan out when the Schiaparelli lander crashed into the planet's surface rather than landing safely. The rest of the mission is healthy and is expected to operate in Mars orbit for many years to come.
