2.34 A&G•April2011•Vol.52 Meeting report John Bridges and

at the prospects for the UK exploring Mars. High-resolution imaging and near-infra-red mapping of the martian surface, together with detailed studies of mar-tian meteorites and exobiology research, have revealed an increasing amount of detail about how climate and surface processes have changed over the history of Mars. The exploration of Mars is now being planned through a joint NASA–ESA programme. New missions such as the Mars Science Laboratory in 2012 and the Trace Gas Orbiter in 2016 will also improve our understanding about the evolution of Mars. Mission planning is being guided by recent reports of methane in the Mars atmosphere and the identification of minerals and landforms associated with water such as the Eberswalde Delta. Mars research is also acting as a spur for the development of mission concepts and ana-lytical techniques such as new XRD techniques, microRaman and a Life Marker Chip