The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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The Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) is one of the flight missions making up the Mars Sample Return campaign to bring martian rock, soil and atmospheric samples back to Earth.
Having already spent three years to reach Mars and perform its rendezvous and capture mission, the Earth Return Orbiter will take a further two years to fly from its operational orbit around Mars up to escape altitude and make its way back to Earth.
When ERO is about three days from Earth, the Earth Entry System (EES) separates from the spacecraft and is placed on a precision trajectory for Earth entry and landing.
Shortly after separation, ERO performs a series of maneuvers to enter orbit around the sun, never to return to the Earth.
With the samples safely back on the ground, the EES will be transported to a specialized curation facility, where the precious Martian samples will be prepared for investigation by the best scientists and laboratories around the world. J