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In the ESA video ExoMars at the Red Planet after about 02:10, it says:

With ExoMars, ESA is going to use for the first time, a method called aerobraking for a spacecraft in orbit around Mars...

Will this be:

  1. the first time ESA has used aerobraking
  2. the first time ESA has used aerobraking around Mars
  3. the first time aerobraking has been used around MARS

or something else?

This video can be seen in YouTube:

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    $\begingroup$ The wikipedia article should answer your question and provide interesting facts. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerobraking $\endgroup$
    – Antzi
    Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 4:36
  • $\begingroup$ @Antzi it doesn't purport itself to be an up-to-date accurate, exhaustive, and curated list of all aerobraking maneuvers by spacecraft in history. I wanted to clarify the precise "first-ness" described in the video, and chose a real live expert in this case. $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 4:47
  • $\begingroup$ It does eliminate 1 and 3 options :) $\endgroup$
    – Antzi
    Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 4:48
  • $\begingroup$ @Antzi it takes a long time to sort through that article and piece that together, and there is no guarantee a given Wikipedia article is even correct. If it were an active list, labeled specifically as a complete and updated list of all aerobraking maneuvers and appeared to actually be actively curated and updated, that would be different. After all Wikipedia authors are only human. MarkAdler on the other hand... :-) $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 5:08
  • $\begingroup$ I would revolutionize aerobreaking for Mars. I believe the atmosphere of Mars can be skimmed using a special glider blimp. $\endgroup$
    – Muze
    Commented May 12, 2018 at 3:00

1 Answer 1

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ESA has done aerobraking with Venus Express. NASA has done aerobraking at Mars several times, as well as at Venus. This will be the first time that ESA has done aerobraking at Mars.

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  • $\begingroup$ OK, to double check: it's 2. the first time ESA has used aerobraking around Mars? $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Oct 16, 2016 at 2:14
  • $\begingroup$ I could guess, but I need a boolean. This is ESA's first aerobraking at Mars? $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Oct 16, 2016 at 4:34
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    $\begingroup$ Yes, Door number two. $\endgroup$
    – Mark Adler
    Commented Oct 16, 2016 at 5:10

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