Mars Exploration: ESA Will Again Launch ExoMars On The Red Planet; €400 Million Worth

It has been previously reported that one of the landers of the European Space Agency (ESA) has crashed into Mars. Now, the agency has asked the nations to finish the exploration of ExoMars on the Red Planet.

A month after the crash, ESA has asked on Friday the member nations for support to complete the exploration on the Red Planet. They are talking about €400 million or about US$425 million.

The crater the ExoMars lander created when it crash landed may become the next target for scientific study on Mars. https://t.co/iXly49lF9i pic.twitter.com/UzRrVH7aUp

— Science Channel (@ScienceChannel) November 1, 2016

The main goal of ExoMars is to look for evidence of life on the Red Planet regardless it is past or present. Now, to complete the exploration, Director of Human Spaceflight and Robotic Exploration from ESA David Parker said that ESA needs a bit over €400 million for the project, which includes all the technical work needed to take the vehicle up to the launch phase.

Coming from 23 countries, ministers that underwrite the Europe's space program will decide if they will cover the cost of the overrun. The meeting update will be held in Lucerne, Switzerland, next Thursday or Friday, according to ZNewsIndia.

ExoMars space programme needs an extra 400mn euros https://t.co/cnfq8sKCzU pic.twitter.com/OFJUEC6sDZ — FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) November 25, 2016

However, the expectations for the robot that will explore the planet Mars are that it can cover the Red Planet for at least 218 days. The two leading ESA countries in the ExoMars rover project are the U.K. and Italy. They both have mentioned that they are offering support in finance during the past Lucerne meeting. But it will require others in the 22-nation organization to dig deep as well, according to BBC News.