ESA Continues ExoMars Development Despite Concerns

The European Space Agency is proceeding with development of its ExoMars mission with an eye toward a 2016 launch, despite questions of funding and international participation that still loom over the program.

ExoMars was conceived as a way for the European Space Agency (ESA) to beef up its rover knowledge and experience. According to a presentation by ExoMars Project Scientist Jorge Vago to the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group in Arlington, Va., last week, the mission's primary technology objectives include entry, descent and landing with a large payload on Mars, demonstrating multikilometer mobility with a rover, and automatic drilling of the Martian surface down to a depth of two meters.

Hope that they get the funding...I also hope NASA gets enough funding for a rover during the same time frame.