ExoMars, a joint mission between ESA and Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, will open a new era for Europe, moving from remote observation to in situ surface exploration of Mars.

The first ExoMars mission, to be launched in March for arrival in October 2016, comprises the Trace Gas Orbiter, which will attempt to determine the biological or geological origin of important trace gases on Mars and the EDM module (the Entry, Descent and Landing demonstrator), which will test key landing technologies needed for the 2018 mission and future missions on Mars.