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The team behind the upcoming mission has recommended a landing point on the red planet called Oxia Planum, where it is believed that a large water basin sits billions of years ago. Teams from the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russian Roscosmos will confirm the site in mid-2019, in anticipation of the long-awaited launch of the following year. Oxia Planum is one of two sites that the researchers have looked into. Mawrth Vallis – a valley on Mars – turns out to be the other.
The mission will see an ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars rover reach the selected site to collect samples for innovative studies.
Both sites are rich in evidence of the watery past of Mars and lie north of the equator of the planet.
The ESA ExoMars 2020 project scientist, Jorge Vago, said: "With ExoMars, we are looking for biosignatures.
"While both sites offer valuable scientific opportunities to explore ancient environments rich in water that could have been colonized by microorganisms, Oxia Planum has received the majority of votes.
"The proposed sites have been characterized by an impressive amount of work demonstrating that they meet the scientific requirements for the ExoMars mission objectives."
He added: "Mawrth Vallis is a scientifically interesting site that has been identified in orbit."
The trace gas explorer (ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter) was already looking for signs of Mars' biological activity.
Researchers recently met at the UK National Space Center in Leicester for a two-day summit to discuss both sites.
Experts have established that Oxia Planum was the best option for the site as it relies on what was once an ancient water plan in which many streams drained. It is therefore home to layers of clay-rich minerals.
The mission is scheduled to take place from July 25 to August 13, 2020, with the main goal of determining if there ever was life on Mars.
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