The Proton-M launch vehicle and the Breeze-M upper stage, which were intended for the ExoMars project, will be sent to the Baikonur Cosmodrome. There, the equipment will be used for launches in the interests of the Russian Federation, Roscosmos said.

“In the future, these launch vehicles will be used for another launch campaign, for launching a payload in the interests of the Russian Federation, with the implementation of an adaptation program for the payload directly at the cosmodrome,” Roscosmos quotes Interfax.

Earlier it became known that the ESA Council decided to abandon the joint ExoMars program with Russia, citing "the impossibility of continuing cooperation with Roscosmos." The head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, noted that ESA's refusal from the project is "a very bitter event for all space enthusiasts." However, the corporation intends to explore Mars on its own.

“Yes, we will lose several years, but we will repeat our landing module, provide it with the Angara launch vehicle, and from the new launch complex of the Vostochny cosmodrome we will independently conduct this research expedition,” Rogozin said in his Telegram channel.

ESA's refusal to jointly implement ExoMars with Roscosmos means that the launch of the rover will be delayed. One of the options for an alternative to Russia, according to the head of the ESA, Josef Aschbacher, could be the resumption of cooperation with NASA.

“Now we have to evaluate in detail what this means and how the rover can be brought to the surface of Mars. Of course, cooperation with NASA is an option that we are considering. The agency has expressed a strong desire to support us.”

As for the new launch date, Aschbacher believes it won't happen until 2026 at the earliest.

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