A Different Approach to Project Procurement

G.P. Whitcomb & J.C. Credland

This article introduces the projects that are described in the following two articles in this ESA Bulletin, namely the Mars Express and the SMART-1 missions. Both are test cases for new approaches in technology development and project management which are being introduced into ESA’s Science Programme. The overall aim is to reduce the cost of missions, but at the same time maintain the high scientific quality that has been achieved in past.