The scientific device NOMAD (Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery),which was both conceived and manufactured by l'Institut Royal d'Aéronomie Spatiale de Belgique (ASB - the Belgian institute for space aeronomy), was sent on Monday at 10.31 a.m (GMT).
It headed towards the “red planet” on board the Trace Gas Orbiter satellite (TGO), on the first stage of the ExoMars mission.
In due course, the satellite will orbit around Mars. The NOMAD device will make it possible to map the atmosphere of Mars in the quest for different gases and traces of life. The launch took place successfully from the space port of Baïkonour in Kazakhstan.
(Source: Belga)
