Member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) approved a record-breaking nearly 17 billion Euro budget that will, among others, help cover the cost of rebuilding the landing platform of the beleaguered ExoMars rover. The budget, approved at ESA 's Council at the Ministerial level in Paris on Wednesday (Nov. 23), represents a 17% increase compared to what had passed at the previous member-state gathering in 2019. The budget will allow the agency to pursue a range of ambitious projects including the development of Europe's own secure communications satellite constellation and a lunar lander called Argonaut . ESA representatives praised...