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| Agencies outline Mars initiative | Agencies outline Mars initiative |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Nasa and the European Space Agency (Esa) have taken a significant step towards teaming up to explore Mars. | Nasa and the European Space Agency (Esa) have taken a significant step towards teaming up to explore Mars. |
| The agencies have announced a joint initiative for robotic exploration of the Red Planet following a two-day summit in Plymouth last month. | The agencies have announced a joint initiative for robotic exploration of the Red Planet following a two-day summit in Plymouth last month. |
| But this means European space ministers now face tough decisions over the future of Esa's ExoMars rover mission. | But this means European space ministers now face tough decisions over the future of Esa's ExoMars rover mission. |
| They need to decide whether to totally re-scope ExoMars in light of options opened up by collaboration with the US. | They need to decide whether to totally re-scope ExoMars in light of options opened up by collaboration with the US. |
| Nasa and Esa were eyeing a mutual arrangement on Mars exploration because of the growing cost of such missions and because of shared science goals. | Nasa and Esa were eyeing a mutual arrangement on Mars exploration because of the growing cost of such missions and because of shared science goals. |
| The initiative is called the Mars Exploration Joint Initiative, or MEJI, and will investigate collaborative activities between the agencies for launch opportunities in 2016, 2018 and 2020 (launch opportunities to Mars come up roughly every two years). | The initiative is called the Mars Exploration Joint Initiative, or MEJI, and will investigate collaborative activities between the agencies for launch opportunities in 2016, 2018 and 2020 (launch opportunities to Mars come up roughly every two years). |
| Nasa and Esa envisage sending landers and orbiters to conduct astrobiological, geological and geophysical investigations on the Red Planet over the coming decade. | Nasa and Esa envisage sending landers and orbiters to conduct astrobiological, geological and geophysical investigations on the Red Planet over the coming decade. |
| The ultimate goal of the collaboration is an international mission to bring back geological samples from the Red Planet. | The ultimate goal of the collaboration is an international mission to bring back geological samples from the Red Planet. |
| Science goals | Science goals |
| Speaking to BBC News on the eve of the Plymouth talks, Nasa's associate administrator for science Dr Ed Weiler said: "We have very similar scientific goals, maybe we ought to consider working together jointly on all our future Mars missions, so that we can do more than either one of us can do by ourselves." | Speaking to BBC News on the eve of the Plymouth talks, Nasa's associate administrator for science Dr Ed Weiler said: "We have very similar scientific goals, maybe we ought to consider working together jointly on all our future Mars missions, so that we can do more than either one of us can do by ourselves." |
| He said the talks would see if Esa and Nasa could come up with a "western hemisphere Mars programme". | He said the talks would see if Esa and Nasa could come up with a "western hemisphere Mars programme". |
| Esa had previously envisaged ExoMars as a mission costing roughly 1.5bn euros. The rover is currently expected to launch in 2016, and will scour the Martian surface for signs of past or present life. | Esa had previously envisaged ExoMars as a mission costing roughly 1.5bn euros. The rover is currently expected to launch in 2016, and will scour the Martian surface for signs of past or present life. |
| But last year, Esa's director-general Jean-Jacques Dordain promised European governments that the cost of ExoMars would be kept as close as possible to 850m euros. | But last year, Esa's director-general Jean-Jacques Dordain promised European governments that the cost of ExoMars would be kept as close as possible to 850m euros. |
| Esa officials believe the way forward is through collaboration with the US, which is now expected to make a major investment in ExoMars. | Esa officials believe the way forward is through collaboration with the US, which is now expected to make a major investment in ExoMars. |
| Under one scenario which has been discussed, America would supply an orbiter, a launcher and a carrier to accompany the European-built rover to the Red Planet in 2016. | Under one scenario which has been discussed, America would supply an orbiter, a launcher and a carrier to accompany the European-built rover to the Red Planet in 2016. |
| But other possible options have emerged since the bilateral agency talks in Plymouth. These might see just an orbiter being sent to Mars in 2016 and then two rovers being dispatched to the surface in 2018. | But other possible options have emerged since the bilateral agency talks in Plymouth. These might see just an orbiter being sent to Mars in 2016 and then two rovers being dispatched to the surface in 2018. |
| Spreading the cost | Spreading the cost |
| Dr David Parker, director of space science at the British National Space Centre (BNSC), said: "The UK is very supportive of Esa and Nasa getting together. It makes sense in the long-term to minimise duplication of effort in terms of, for example, the number of rockets you need to buy to do Mars exploration." | |
| In return for the US' investment in ExoMars, European money would be put into future Red Planet missions. | In return for the US' investment in ExoMars, European money would be put into future Red Planet missions. |
| The US has its own concerns: Nasa is having to plan ahead with reduced money for Mars exploration, and, like Europe, is keen to discuss sharing the cost of future missions to the Red Planet. | The US has its own concerns: Nasa is having to plan ahead with reduced money for Mars exploration, and, like Europe, is keen to discuss sharing the cost of future missions to the Red Planet. |
| Nasa is due to launch a $2.3bn nuclear-powered rover known as Mars Science Laboratory (the rover was recently named "Curiosity") to the planet in 2011. | Nasa is due to launch a $2.3bn nuclear-powered rover known as Mars Science Laboratory (the rover was recently named "Curiosity") to the planet in 2011. |
| MSL was previously to have launched in 2009. However, technical difficulties forced Nasa to delay the mission by two years, adding about $400m to the cost. | MSL was previously to have launched in 2009. However, technical difficulties forced Nasa to delay the mission by two years, adding about $400m to the cost. |
| The US space agency's delegation to Plymouth was led by Dr Weiler. They were joined at the table by an Esa team headed by Professor David Southwood, the European agency's director of science and robotic exploration. | The US space agency's delegation to Plymouth was led by Dr Weiler. They were joined at the table by an Esa team headed by Professor David Southwood, the European agency's director of science and robotic exploration. |
| In addition to the MEJI venture, the agencies agreed to establish a "joint architecture review team" to assist both sides in planning the Mars mission portfolio. | In addition to the MEJI venture, the agencies agreed to establish a "joint architecture review team" to assist both sides in planning the Mars mission portfolio. |
| As plans develop, they will be reviewed by Esa member states for approval and by the US National Academy of Sciences. | As plans develop, they will be reviewed by Esa member states for approval and by the US National Academy of Sciences. |
| Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk | Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk |