Summary reader response draft 3
ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter The main goal of the ExoMars mission is to find signs of life on Mars. This is done by searching for trace gases on Mars atmosphere. Trace gases like methane and water vapour are gases which “provide evidence for possible biological or geological activity on Mars” (NASA Science, 2019). The key trace gas of interest is methane as most of the methane on earth is produced by living things or geological activity, and this may also be true on Mars. The TGO has four sets of science instruments to help achieve its goal. Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS), Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS), Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND) and Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery (NOMAD). NOMAD combines three spectrometers, two infrared and one ultraviolet, to perform high-sensitivity orbital identification of atmospheric components, including methane and many other species, via both solar occultation and direct reflected-light nadir obs...