PARIS AP France is teaming up with NASA to explore Mars in 2005 with plans to use a large new European rocket to send up the U.S. orbiter as well as a French spacecraft to bring back soil samples a newspaper reported Tuesday. A memorandum of understanding is to be signed shortly on the joint effort to study the red planet Le Monde reported quoting aides to Claude Allegre the minister for education and research. Allegre described the project in a speech to the National Assembly Monday with NASA contributing about 11 billion francs dlrs 2 billion and France 2.5 billion francs dlrs 450 million Le Monde said. ``We will be present in this great adventure'' Allegre said. ``We have signed an accord with the Americans'' he said referring to ``letters of intention'' exchanged last spring. As a young geologist in the 1970s studied soil samples U.S. astronauts brought back from the moon Allegre has long been a supporter of space exploration. But the move is also seen as a way to maintain France as Europe's leader in space exploration Le Monde said. The French-based European Space Agency whose commercial arm Arianespace is the world's leader in commercial launches has developed a new larger rocket called the Ariane 5. That rocket valued at 800 million francs dlrs 143 million is to carry the U.S. orbiter that is to send up the U.S. orbiter in August 2005. France ``with strong European participation'' Allegre said will also contribute the ``Netlander'' -- four small probes weighing about 50 kilograms 110 pounds each. Built with help from Germany and Finland they are to conduct geochemical geophysical tests as well as monitor seismic movement. The joint project was in the planning stage over the past year beginning in October 1997 when visiting NASA chief Daniel Goldin asked France to contribute an Ariane 5. Since then French and American experts have met in both countries including at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena Calif. where French scientists were visiting this week Le Monde said. cb APW19981201.0604.txt.body.html APW19981201.0933.txt.body.html