Perspective view of North Meridiani Planum
Meridiani Planum at the northern edge of the southern highlands of Mars. In the centre of the image is an impact crater almost 50 km across, covered in dark material that resembles volcanic ash. Poking through the dark covering are small mounds, probably made of more resistant material. The softer material around them has been eroded and blown out of the crater by north-easterly winds and now lies outside the crater, forming dark streaks at the bottom left of the image.
ESA has identified the primary landing site for the ExoMars Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM) in a flat and rock-free area of the Meridiani Planum region. The EDM is scheduled for launch in March 2016, arriving at the Red Planet approximately nine months later.
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