Europe reaches for Mars
The major constituents of Europe's first mission to Mars are now in place after Roger Bonnet, the Director of the European Space Agency's scientific programme added his signature to a contract for the launch of ESA's 'Mars Express'. The Mars Express will be launched by the Euro-Russian Starsem from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in between 1 and 11 June 2003. This flexibility in launch date will allow ESA to deploy the Mars Explorer when the Earth's position relative to Mars is the most favourable for the mission. Space research institutes throughout Europe have collaborated to build seven instruments aboard the Mars Express which will make observations from the main space craft as it orbits the planet six months after leaving Earth. Just before landing, Mars Explorer will release a small lander called 'Beagle II' that will scan the surface of the red planet for signs of life. When the spacecraft itself lands, it will begin to map the planet, study its crust and also search for water.