ExoMars 2016 Launch Timeline

The ExoMars 2016 Mission aims to deliver to Mars the Trace Gas Orbiter for a multi-year mission studying the Martian atmosphere and the Schiaparelli lander for a critical re-entry and landing demonstration followed by a short surface science mission.

The ExoMars 2016 mission has a launch window stretching from March 14 to 25, 2016, lifting off from Site 200/39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan atop a Proton-M/Briz-M launch vehicle. Inserted into an interplanetary transfer trajectory, ExoMars 2016 will enter a seven-month coast filled with a number of course correction maneuvers to fine-tune its path to the Red Planet.

Proton-M Ascent Profile
Image: Khrunichev
Image: Khrunichev


Launch & Ascent Timeline

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Time Event UTC (March 14)
T-0:00:02.50 Ignition Sequence Start
T-0:00:01.75 Ignition - 40% Thrust
T-0:00:00.90 Stage 1 at 100% Thrust
T-0 LIFTOFF 09:31:42
T+0:01:02 Maximum Dynamic Pressure
T+0:01:59 Stage 2 Ignition Command
T+0:01:59.7 Stage 1 Shutdown
T+0:01:59.7 Stage 1/2 Separation
T+0:05:24 Stage 3 Vernier Ignition Command
T+0:05:27 Stage 2 Shutdown & Separation
T+0:05:30 Stage 3 Main Ignition Command
T+0:05:45 Payload Fairing Separation
T+0:09:31 Third Stage Main Engine Cutoff
T+0:09:41 Third Stage Vernier Cutoff
T+0:09:42 3rd Stage / Briz-M Separation
T+0:11:16.0 Briz-M First Ignition
Burn Duration: ~5 min
T+0:16:xx First Briz-M Shutdown, Parking Orbit ~175km 09:47
T+1:38:xx Second Briz-M Burn Ignition, Preliminary Orbit: 250 x 5,800km 11:09
T+1:56:xx Briz-M Shutdown 11:27
T+3:54:xx Third Briz-M Burn Ignition, Transfer Orbit: 300 x 21,000km 13:25
T+4:06:xx Briz-M Shutown 13:37
T+4:07:xx APT Separation 13:38
T+10:16xx Fourth Briz-M Burn Ignition, Trans-Martian Injection C3=7.44km^2/s^2 19:47
T+10:27xx Briz-M Shutdown 19:58
T+10:41:19 Spacecraft Separation 20:13:01
T+11:57:45 ExoMars Signal Acquisition through Malindi 21:28:26
T+12:30:xx Test Command 22:01

Ground Track Maps
Image: ESA/M. Khan
Image: ESA/M. Khan
Flight Profile
Image: ESA/M. Khan
Image: ESA/M. Khan