Coronavirus also influences space missions

By Luke86 | Astrofacts | 26 Mar 2020

Because of the pandemic, ESA has put in safe mode 4 space missions

The Coronavirus pandemic is traveling through the whole world and all working sectors are interested on restrictions, even the space agencies. The ESA has recently suggested to its scientists working from home by smart working, reducing the activities into agency rooms at minimum needed. Because of this, 4 space missions has been turned into "safe mode":

Cluster

Launched in 2000 to study magnetosphere of Earth and how it's interested by the influence of solar wind

ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

Launched in 2016 to study Mars atmosphere and to function by a radio relay for landers operating on Mars surface

Mars Express

Always remaining on the Red Planet, we can find this orbiter, launched in 2003 to study Mars ground and to sample the Mars atmosphere

Solar Orbiter

The most recent space mission, launched in February 2020 and actually tripping to its destination around the Sun.

They don't know how troubles could be happened due to safe mode for these missions, but another important mission needs attention: The BepiColombo, the first ever European mission on Mercury, co-operating with JAXA, the Japanese Space Agency, which is going to fly-by Earth on the 10th of April, to correct its trajectory to better get to Mercury.