On 2 June ESA will launch Mars Express. The spacecraft will blast off from the Baikonur cosomodrome in Kazakhstan on a Russian Soyuz launcher.
Hailed as EuropeÕs first ever flight to Mars, the mission will look at the planetÕs landscape and atmosphere, as well as searching for any signs of water or life.
Mars Express will take 6 months to reach its destination. Just before it begins to orbit the planet, ESAÕs ground operations team will release a surface lander known as Beagle 2.
The Mars Express orbiter will circle for the planet for at least a Martian year. It carries seven high-tech instruments, built by scientists from European research institutes and universities. These will map the entire planet and analyze its climate and its atmosphere. It will also use a special readar to search for water deep several kilometres below the planetÕs surface, for as much as several kilometers.
In addition to looking at the planetÕs geology and climate, Beagle 2 will look for signs of life past and presen

Mars Express VNR
10:00:40:00
On June 2nd the European Space Agency will launch its long-awaited Mars Express mission. The spacecraft will blast off from the Baikonur cosomodrome in Kazakhstan on a Russian Soyuz launcher.
Hailed as EuropeÍs first ever flight to Mars, the mission will look at the planetÍs landscape and atmosphere, as well as searching for any signs of life.
10:01:01:00
I/V Vittorio Formisano, IFSI Frascati, Italy
Mars is fascinating, even today, because we must recognise that most likely life on Mars has been present...even to learn how life on Mars has been destroyed would be of enormous interest for us.
10:01:22:00
Mars Express will take 6 months to reach its destination. Just before it begins to orbit the planet, ESAÍs ground operations team in Darmsdadt, Germany will release a surface lander known as Beagle 2.
10:01:34:00
I/V Michael MacKay, MXP Ground Segment Manager
Gradually as we get closer to Mars we will target so that we can release Beagle, so we fly directly at M