No European Mars mission this year, due to war in Ukraine

Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe will no longer be attempting to send its first rover to Mars this year

PARIS -- Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe will no longer be attempting this year to send its first rover to Mars, which was to have probed whether the planet ever hosted life.

The European Space Agency confirmed Thursday that it's indefinitely suspending its ExoMars rover mission with partner Roscosmos, Russia’s state space corporation.

The ESA had previously said that the mission was “very unlikely" because of Russia's war against Ukraine.

The decision to suspend cooperation with Roscosmos was taken by ESA’s ruling council, at a meeting this week in Paris.