According to European Space Agency (ESA), the second ExoMars mission has been delayed to 2020. Previously it is announced to be expected by 2018, will now launch with the delay of two years.

“Russian and European experts made their best efforts to meet the 2018 launch schedule for the mission, and in late 2015, a dedicated ESA-Roscosmos Tiger Team, also including Russian and European industries, initiated an analysis of all possible solutions to recover schedule delays and accommodate schedule contingencies,” the ESA and Roscosmos said in a statement.

“Having assessed the possible ways to ensure successful mission implementation, we concluded that a launch in 2020 would be the best solution.”

The additional measures will now be taken to ensure that the launch runs in 2020 as expected the team says. As a part of ExoMars project, two spacecraft have already headed to Mars to trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli lander which will reach the planet by October.

It would provide very strong evidence to say that there is life existing in Mars says the scientists who are working on the ExoMars project.

ExoMars project scientist Håvan Svedhem said: “This is the first mission to focus specifically on whether there has ever been life on Mars.”