Notice

EAGME Call for Membership Nominations, May 2026

Published 14 May 2026

The closing date is Monday 1 June 2026 at 11am.

The UK Space Agency seeks nominations for membership of its Expert Advisory Group on Future Mars Exploration (EAGME), a subordinate group of the Space Exploration Advisory Committee (SEAC) which will advise the UK Space Agency on the ESA Mars Exploration Working Group topics and the UK’s role in the future of Mars exploration in Europe.  

The coming years hold great potential for space exploration. The UK has a vested interest, both from academic and industrial sectors, in initiatives like the Argonaut Lunar Lander and Rosalind Franklin Mars rover mission. With the launch of the Rosalind Franklin mission due in 2028, the European Space Agency (ESA) is looking towards the future of Mars exploration. Following the formation of the ESA Mars Exploration Working Group, the UK Space Agency wishes to be proactive in UK involvement within this group, providing an informed and strategic UK position. We are therefore seeking nominations for membership to the EAGME.  

EAGME will convene scientific, interdisciplinary, and intersectional discussions on matters arising from the ESA Working Group. The Group’s responsibilities include providing strategic advice on: ESA Mars science ambition; alignment of science goals with missions and technology readiness; sequencing, timelines, and preparatory activities; and the coherence of ESA roadmaps and international initiatives.  

Group members will be expected to represent their entire communities (in their area of expertise) and engage with their communities to gather this perspective. Members should expect to review ESA documentation and produce reports and white papers as required, written collaboratively with authorship shared among contributors. The workload will be dynamic and may involve reviewing multiple documents or producing advice at pace. The Group will ensure UK scientific and industrial expertise is effectively represented in shaping future Mars exploration in Europe.  

 Anticipated activities include:  

• regular meetings held between June and November 2026 (a minimum of three) 

• extraordinary meetings organised when necessary to fulfil the group’s objectives and/or if required by the UK Space Agency  

• review of ESA documentation and Frontiers outputs 

• production of reports and white papers when appropriate    

EAGME will be composed of representatives from both academic and industrial communities, covering a wide range of relevant fields and activity areas. The Group will be chaired by Professor Karen Olsson-Francis, Director of Astrobiology OU at the Open University, UK Space Agency representative to the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection, and vice Chair of the UK Space Agency Space Exploration Advisory Committee, to which this group will report into. All Group meetings will be attended by members of the UK Space Agency Exploration Team and other members of the UK Space Agency as required.  

Meetings of the EAGME will be spread throughout the year between June and November 2026, with the first meeting expected to be a virtual meeting held Tuesday 23 June for two hours 10am-12pm.  

1. Who we are looking for 

We are looking for people who can represent their specialist area within Mars Exploration and advise on ESA’s future Mars planning in relation to the UK’s activities in this sector (both nationally and via ESA). 

We require a broad range of specialisms across Mars exploration and seek approximately eight new members to join EAGME from June 2026. We cannot accept PhD level applicants due to the nature of the advice we require.  

We will select members to cover (noting there will be overlap between these categories): 

• a minimum of two Mars academic representatives  

• a minimum of one Industrial representative (large scale)  

• a minimum of one Industrial representative (SME) 

• a minimum of one representative with experience in systems engineering for Mars exploration missions  

• a minimum of one representative with experience as an instrument PI on a Mars exploration mission  

Participants will represent a diverse set of specialisms within Martian Exploration, for example covering comms, navigation, surface mapping, astrobiology, atmospheric science, and geology.   

Membership is undertaken as an initial 6-month term with the potential to extend to a two-year term. Meetings are to be held regularly between June and November 2026 and are expected to be virtual. The exact cadence will be determined as the work progresses. The first EAGME meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday 23 June 2026, and new members are encouraged to ensure their availability on this date, where possible.  

2. How to apply 

Suitable candidates must be based in the UK and work for/be associated with a UK institution. Candidates must demonstrate scientific or industrial expertise in a Mars-related discipline.

Nominations will be made via an MS Teams Form, no later than Monday 1 June at 11am. This form will require a range of information, including: 

• name  

• organisation 

• specialism and experience  

• brief relevant CV (maximum 2 pages) 

• short summary of relevant experience (100-200 words),

including: 

• demonstration of experience of working with international space programmes (e.g. ESA, NASA) 

• possess a broad understanding of the UK R&D landscape 

• be knowledgeable about the political and strategic challenges of work in this area, at both a national and international level 

• demonstration of experience in one of the relevant categories listed above (academia, industry, systems engineering, instrument PI).  

Complete the nomination form.

All members will be required to declare any conflicts of interest. Declarations may need to be updated as new topics or activities arise.  

For more details about the EAGME and its membership, please email the Exploration mailbox at Spaceexploration@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.