In 2018 Mars Express celebrates 15 years of operations in orbit. It remains one of the ESA’s most scientifically productive missions whose publication record now counts more than 1000 papers. Its principal scientific discoveries and accomplishments encompass a broad spectrum of science themes including the geology and history of the planet,
meteorology and climatology, physics of the upper atmosphere including thermosphere and ionosphere, plasma environment and escape processes, as well as the Martian moons. Mars Express results have played an essential role in understanding the geological and climate evolution and determining the potential habitability of Mars in the past.
The mission has also paved the way for subsequent exploration efforts. Together with its “sister” mission at Venus,Mars Express has contributed significantly to the comparative planetology of terrestrial planets.
The wealth of Mars Express data has boosted modelling efforts. The mission is fostering the creation and development of a strong planetary science community in Europe that carries forward new missions to Mars and other planets. The symposium will be devoted to presentation and discussion of the Mars Express contribution
to the "big picture" of the Red Planet, remaining open issues and future strategy of martian research and exploration. It will be to a great extent based on invited talks, but contributed talks will be also accepted.