NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a statement of intent (SOI) for the Mars Exploration Joint Initiative (MEJI), a proposed string of cooperative Martian lander and orbiter missions intended to prepare the way for a sample return.

ESA Science Director David Southwood says the SOI - which follows a preliminary letter of intent inked at the end of June - marks joint acceptance of the architecture for the first two MEJI missions, planned under ESA's ExoMars initiative.

The first, set for 2016, would feature a European entry, descent and landing system (EDLS) and orbiter and a NASA-led orbiter payload. NASA would supply the EDLS and a rover for the second mission, planned for 2018, and ESA, an exobiology rover equipped with a deep drill. Both would be launched by NASA (Aerospace DAILY, Oct. 19). The industrial setup for ESA's part of ExoMars is to be clarified on Nov. 17 when the agency's science program board meets to OK the twin-mission scenario. Industry expects the current prime contract, held by Thales Alenia Space, to be replaced with three awards - for EDLS, rover and orbiter - under ESA management (Aerospace DAILY, Oct. 27). Southwood says only that ESA is "looking at how to tighten up management of the elements within the overall program and to avoid cross-spill."

ExoMars lunar lander mockup: ESA