European Space Agency to Finance Mars Rover

Yep finally the European Space Agency (ESA) has agreed to provide early finances for a new Mars Rover mission that may involve the United States and Russia, though it is not set is stone and the final decision will come in November. ESA's decision to spend $117 million in 2008 on the ExoMars mission will help make the projected launch date of 2013 a little more feasible. The ESA has recently ditched a plan for a smaller rover project and upgraded to the much more expensive and much more capable operation that they are planning and working on now. The current plan would cost around $150 billion. The Italian government has pledged to fund almost half of the project and the British, German, and French government has said they would fund most of the other half. The ESA is vying to get Russia rockets and American instruments though this process is quite difficult. The ESA is also working with Russia on their mission to Phobos, one of Mars's moons. Well I truly hope that both of theses programs are carried out succesfully and the European Space Agency and all invloved benefit from it. But as we all know, only time will tell.

The Fool