Russia, Europe put off craft launch to Mars due to COVID-19

Russia and Europe decided to postpone the launch of a craft to Mars for the reason of rapidly spreading coronavirus infection, Report informs, citing Roskosmos.

"State Corporation Roscosmos and the European Space Agency (ESA) decided to put off the launch of the second mission 'ExoMars' until 2022. The two sides admitted that the final stage of ExoMars preparations failed due to the overall worsening of the epidemiological situation in European countries," the company said in a statement. 

The craft was to search for water, and for life in general. The project will be the first mission aimed at identifying the signs of life on a two-meter depth under the surface of Mars, where there are unique conditions for the biological signatures of life.