ExoMars funding

[JonClarke]

Full funding of ExoMars through to its launch date of 2011 has been announced by ESA.<br /><br />"Member states were keen to subscribe to a key milestone in Esa's Aurora programme - a robotic mission to Mars planned for 2011.<br /><br />"The craft will land on the planet in 2013, releasing a rover designed to trundle across the Martian soil studying rocks and drilling beneath the surface. "<br /><br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4503680.stm<br /><br />"Ministers approved funding for the 2006-2011 phase of the Aurora programme on Tuesday.<br /><br />"The bulk of the money will be used to develop ExoMars, with the rest being used for basic research into future missions to the Moon and Mars.<br /><br />"The UK is contributing 101m euros (£68.5m) to ExoMars and 7m euros (£4.7m) to the core research activities out of a total subscription of around 750m euros (£508m). "<br /><br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4503680.stm<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[n_kitson]

This is great news. With MSL arriving around 2011, and hopefully being RTG powered, we'll have two highly capable rovers on the Martian surface in 2013.

 

[mikkelrj]

Exomars Info:<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExoMars

 

[nacnud]

If MSL is a feild geologist, ExoMars is a feild biologist.

 

[JonClarke]

It is an entire field science department! Biology, geology, geophysics, and astronomy.<br /><br />Of course, as with MSL, ExoMars is not anything of itself. It's just a tool, run by real scientists back on earth over a 40 minute time delay. We won't have scientists of any description on Mars until people walk the surface.<br /><br />Jon<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[yurkin]

ExoMars doesn't look nearly as cool as the MER rovers.

 

[alpha_centauri]

AFAIK, the design is not yet finalised. I have seen a couple of different impressions of it like this one, EXOMARS <br /><br />

 

[JonClarke]

You must find the MERs and Cassini boring then.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[dreada5]

No, of course not Jon... MERs are "American"! LOL! <br /><br />....unbelievable <img src="/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> <br />

 

[tohaki]

It is good to see an actual increase in the EAS budget.