MARS EXPRESS, Europe's first mission to the red planet, will explore the atmosphere and surface of Mars, map the planet and search for water. Mars Express is to be launched by a Soyuz/Fregat launcher in June 2003.
ROSETTA is ESA's next cometary mission, to be launched in 2003 by an Ariane 5 to rendezvous with comet Wirtanen in 2011. It will study Wirtanen for two years, releasing a lander onto the surface of the comet.
