ESA - ESA Permanent Mission in Russia

ESA in Russia

ESA and Russia

Cooperation with Russia Human spaceflight Space science Launchers Earth observation Telecommunications Applied Space Science and Technology Navigation


Martian 'dust devil' tracks

Planeta-A

Following on from Russia’s successful involvement in ESA and NASA projects such as ESA’s Mars Express and the USA’s Mars Odyssey, Rosaviakosmos – now the Federal Space Agency – recommended the Planeta-A project.

The aim of the project is to bring together a number of experimental space developments to enable Russian scientific teams to collaborate in the projects of other space agencies. Planet-A’s principal task will be to study Earth-type planets in both national and international scientific experiments onboard international planetary missions.

The technical involvement of Russian scientists and engineers in international planetary missions is vital for obtaining new scientific results and preserving Russian technology potential in the study of planets and minor cosmic bodies in the solar system.

Planeta-A is a multipurpose project that brings together the Russian and joint scientific experiments on board international planetary missions. The project will include ongoing development projects such as MSP-2001 (launched in 2001, a joint project with NASA), Mars Express and Venus Express (ESA) and Mars-2009 (jointly with NASA and ESA).

The lead institute for Planeta-A is IKI RAN, with GEOHI and IRE acting as subcontractors.

Last update: 25 October 2004

Send this page to a friend

Russian space science

Venera-D Other projects

More information

Federal Space Agency

More information

Venus Express Mars Express