Aurora fellowships

Aurora Cross-Disciplinary Fellowship Scheme (Planetology and Astrobiology)

Aurora is one of the six technology programmes of the European Space Agency (ESA) and comprises a framework for the European involvement in the long-term exploration of the Solar System, focusing on Mars and the Moon.

ESA has 18 member states contributing to the mandatory space science programme which is distinct and separate from the Aurora programme. Aurora is an 'optional' programme whereby countries can choose whether to participate and at what level. There are currently 15 countries signed up to the Aurora programme to which the UK is the third largest contributor (17.2% in 2005). In total approximately 65% of all UK involvement in space activities is channelled through ESA.

Aurora programme

The Aurora programme is currently comprised of three themes that may eventually come together in a human mission to Mars. These are:

• specific space missions. The first of these is the ExoMars mission. ExoMars is now part of a joint collaborative venture with NASA consisting of two missions to be launched in 2016 and 2018. Further missions in 2020 and afterwards will precede a Mars sample return mission designed to return samples of martian rock to Earth in about 2030.
  
  
• a core programme which will develop generic mission technologies enabling Europe to participate in future exploration missions that may eventually result in a human mission to Mars.
  
  
• a Mars robotic exploration preparatory (MREP) programme which will prepare for Europe's contribution to the robotic exploration of Mars including ExoMars, later intermediate missions and the future Mars Sample Return mission.

UK Aurora programme

On 1 April 2011, the UK Space Agency became responsible for implementing an active national programme to ensure that the UK maximises the benefits arising from participation in Aurora. Aurora space exploration information, including details about ExoMars (link opens in a new window) and Funding opportunities (link opens in a new window) can be found on the UK Space Agency website.