Moon and Mars Sciences

Moon and Mars sciences is the study of the Moon and Mars and the processes that form them. 

Mission: Unravelling the history and evolutionary processes of the Moon and Mars, learning to use its resources, and searching for life and its origins. 

Vision: By 2035, there will be European leadership on missions and instrumentation for geological, geophysical, and environmental measurements at the Moon and Mars, while collecting and analysing new returned samples from both bodies. 

Objectives: The Human and Robotic Exploration Directorate’s Space Moon and Mars Sciences Activities seek to: 

1. Deepen our understanding of the history, origins, formation and evolution of the Earth-Moon System and Mars 

2. Characterise planetary environments at and around the Earth, Moon and Mars, expand our understanding of their properties and dynamics with their implications for exploration 

3. Determine conditions under which life may have emerged and evolved on Mars, and search for extinct and extant life on Mars 

4. Identify and quantify potential resources at the Moon and Mars and explore approaches to responsible utilisation