Abstract
A short description of the ESA Mars Express mission planned for 2003 is given. The main goal of the mission is to look for traces of life with direct (in situ) or indirect (from orbit) measurements. The Isidis Planitia area was preliminary selected to be the landing site of Beagle-2, a small lander module for geologic, meteorologic, and exobiologic studies. In particular, one instrument on Beagle-2 will measure the carbon ratio 12C/13C, which should indicate the existence of extinct life. Over a period of one Martian year, the Mars Express orbiter will perform global high-resolution (10 m) imaging and global IR mineralogical mapping. Close international cooperation, including scientific data exchange and analysis, is foreseen.
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