A bitter-sweet day for the European Space Agency's ExoMars programme. The Trace Gas Orbiter has successfully entered a perfect orbit around Mars and is working flawlessly, which is a massive win for atmospheric science. However, communication was lost with the Schiaparelli test lander during its final descent through the thin Martian atmosphere, and it looks like it suffered a hard touchdown.

Mars continues to be an incredibly unforgiving destination that tests engineering limits to the absolute maximum. Despite the loss of the lander, the orbiter is the real prize here—it will spend the next few years sniffing out trace atmospheric components like methane, helping us determine if there is ongoing biological or geological activity hidden deep beneath the red deserts.

ESA: ExoMars arrives at the Red Planet!