Europe's mission to Mars hangs in balance

[Rick]

Top boffins from the European Space Agency (ESA) are to meet in Paris this week to vote on plans for a European mission to Mars.

The BBC reports that delegates will be asked to choose between two options: the original plan, and a scaled up, more expensive mission that would free the mission from reliance on American kit for communications.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/21/exo_mars_vote/
And: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6675287.stm