Mars weather network mission

The Terrae Novae 2030+ strategy roadmap has ambitious goals for each of the three exploration destinations low Earth orbit, Moon and Mars.

The high-level ambitious goal for Mars is to implement a vision for long-term robotic exploration of Mars, that will pave the way for the horizon goal to have the first European to Mars by the end of the next decade by taking leadership in survivability technologies, mastering radioisotope power sources, entry, descent, and landing for small and eventually large logistics payloads, and to expand scientific knowledge.

A candidate ESA Mars flagship mission for the 2030’s is a comprehensive Mars weather orbiter network and lander mission. It will serve to secure and further develop Europe’s entry, descend, and landing capabilities through multiple simultaneous landings employing fully European technologies as well operating reliably on the Martian surface for many years through challenging weather conditions such as dust storms.

For more on ESA’s human and robotic exploration strategy see: https://www.esa.int/terraenovae