This information is from Exomars’ ESA web page (02/08/2011)
Looking for signatures of life on Mars
An accurate visual, electromagnetic, and spectrochemical characterisation of the surface and subsurface of Mars is key to achieving a better understanding of the processes that influenced their origin and evolution. Knowledge of the geological history of past water environments also constitutes a necessary step in the search for traces of past or present signatures of life on Mars.
Data from the novel suite of instruments onboard the ExoMars rover will also help scientists to explore environments which may be favourable to life on the Martian surface, and to investigate the relationship between water and climate change.
Instruments in brief
PanCam - The Panoramic Camera
To perform digital terrain mapping of Mars.
Principal Investigator: Andrew John Coates, MSSL/University College London, London, United Kingdom
Co-Principal Investigator (High Resolution Camera): Ralf Jaumann, DLR/IPF, Berlin, Germany
Co-Principal Investigator (Wide Angle Cameras): Jean-Luc Josset, Institute for Space Exploration, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
MOMA – Mars Organic Molecule Analyser
It will target biomarkers to answer questions related to the potential origin, evolution and distribution of life on Mars.
Principal Investigator: Fred Goesmann, Max-Planck-Institute for Solar System Research, Lindau, Germany
Co-Principal Investigator: Paul Mahaffy, Goddard Space Flight Center, Washington, United States of America
Co-Principal Investigator: Francois Raulin, University of Paris 12 and 7, Paris, France.
MicrOmega
A micro-imaging system designed to identify the mineralogical and the molecular composition of Martian samples.
Principal Investigator: Jean-Pierre Bibring, Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, Orsay, France
Co-Principal Investigator: Frances Westall, Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Orléans, France
Co-Principal Investigator: Nicolas Thomas, University of Bern, Switzerland.
MARS-XRD - MARS X-Ray Diffractometer
A combined X-ray diffractometer and fluorescence spectrometer to analyse the mineralogy and chemical composition of the Martian rocks and soil.
Principal Investigator: Lucia Marinangeli, IRSPS Universitá d’Annunzio, Pescara, Italy
Co-Principal Investigator: Ian Brian Hutchinson, University of Leicester /University of Brunel, United Kingdom.
Raman Spectrometer
To provide context information for the identification and characterisation of potential organic compounds that can be related with present or past signatures of life on Mars.
Principal Investigator: Fernando Rull Perez, Centro de Astrobiología, Unidad Asociada (CSIC-UVA), Spain
Co-Principal Investigator: Sylvestre Maurice, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique - Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (LAOMP), France
WISDOM - Water Ice and Subsurface Deposit Observation On Mars
To provide a detailed view of the subsurface structure of the Red Planet by imaging the upper layers of the Martian crust.
Principal Investigator: Valérie Ciarletti, LATMOS, France
Co-Principal Investigator: Svein-Erik Hamran, FFI, Norway
Co-Principal Investigator: Dirk Plettemeier, TU-Dresden, Germany.
Ma_MISS - Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies
Located inside the drill, it will contribute to the study of the Martian mineralogy and rock formation.
Principal Investigator: Angioletta Coradini, Institute for Interplanetary Space Physics, IFSI, Italy.
CLUPI - Close - UP Imager
A camera system to acquire high-resolution colour close-up images of rocks, outcrops, drill fines and drill core samples.
Principal Investigator: Jean-Luc Josset, Space Exploration Institute, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Co-Principal Investigator: Frances Westall, Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Orléans, France
Co-Principal Investigator: Beda Hofmann, Natural History Museum, Bern, Switzerland.
LMC - Life Marker Chip
To detect specific molecules that may be associated with past or present life on Mars.
Principal Investigator: Mark R. Sims, University of Leicester, United Kingdom
Co-Principal Investigator: David C. Cullen, Cranfield University, United Kingdom.
More info of each instrument at The ExoMars Rover Instrument Suite