ESA - Robotic Exploration of Mars - Schiaparelli being attached to the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

Schiaparelli, also known as the ExoMars Entry, descent and landing Demonstrator Module (EDM), being attached to the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) in the Cannes facility of Thales Alenia Space (France) on 11 April 2015. Members of the integration team are using special mobile access platforms ('cherry pickers') to access the interface between Schiaparelli and the main separation assembly (MSA), and the top of the TGO. In this image, Schiaparelli is in contact with the orbiter via the MSA and members of the integration team are torquing the 27 bolts of the orbiter interface ring. The mating operation took around nine hours.