New rover to find out life on Mars

British scientists on 5/6/10 have announced the start of work on a new mission to Mars in 2018 that will explore the possibility of life on the planet. 
    ExoMars will be the first mission for attempting to obtain samples at a depth of 1-2 metre below the surface of Mars where they are protected from radiation and oxidants thought to exist on the surface, and both of which would destroy/ heavily degrade complex organic compounds. 
    The scientists from the university are involved in five instruments on board the ExoMars mission, including building the hardware for three of the instruments on board the craft. 
    ExoMars is a robotic mission to Mars, developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. Data from the mission will also provide invaluable input for broader studies of exobiology – the search for life on other planets. 
    The mission to Mars also has major Earth-bound applications with spin-offs in collaboration with industry bringing environmental benefits as well as technologies that can be applied in the fields of health and crime detection. PTI