Beagle 2

Objective

Beagle 2 was designed and built by British academics , of which the professor Colin Pillinger of the Open University, on behalf of ESA. Its goal was to seek signs of life current or last in the basement of Mars. Its name reflects its goal: Beagle was the vessel on which Charles Darwin made his voyage which revolutionized the human knowledge of the life on Ground. Pillinger known as: “ We hope that Beagle 2 will make some as much for Mars. ”

Equipment

Beagle 2 was of design very simple, it was not conceived to move and explore planet. All the interest of the mission lay in physicochemical measurements that the probe was to undertake in order to detect fossil traces of bacterial life.

The probe had a hinged jib which should have been deployed after the landing. It comprised a pair of cameras, a Microscope, Spectromètre S, a perforator to take samples of rock and a lighting system. A mass spectrometer was to make it possible to measure the proportions of different the Isotope S from Carbone. Carbon being supposed to be at the base of any life, these analyzes could have revealed if the sample contained the remainders of living organisms.

The phase of approach

Beagle 2 was embarked on board the European probe Mars Express, it was then expected that the two probes separate a fifteen or so days before the contact with Mars. The originators of Beagle 2 had taken the party of a light probe and inexpensive, it did not have any means of propulsion and was simply to continue on its impetus after the dropping by Mars Express. In addition, no parameter of Beagle 2 could be checked more after separation because the radio operator means of communication with Mars Express, which was used to him also as relay with the Earth, were to be deployed only after the landing over Mars. The European probe was thus dumb, and thus the blind technicians, during the most delicate phase of its voyage. After having left the Martian orbit, it was to go down in the atmosphere from planet, to benefit from aerodynamic braking, to open a Parachute, then a second, to inflate airbags of protection and to strike planetary surface while rebounding on the bags of protection. The deployment of panels in the shape of petal was to enable him to be rectified and be directed automatically.

The failure of the mission

After its landing, Beagle 2 should have emitted a first signal of confirmation towards Mars Express; this forever received signal. In spite of many attempts to enter in communication with the probe, either since the Martian orbit thanks to the two probes present around planet, or since terrestrial Radio telescope S, Beagle 2 remained dumb. However, the trajectory of Mars Express having been in conformity with the forecasts, one supposes that Beagle 2 was correctly released and that it was well posed over Mars. Finally, the December 27th 2003, the European space agency admitted that the probe had been probably crushed with the landing. The reasons of this silence are not to date known.

Site of Beagle 2

The December 20th 2005 professor Pillinger, being based on images of the probe Mars Global Surveyor, announces on the official site of the mission that it perhaps located the site where Beagle 2 is. It would be close to a crater in the basin d'Isidis Planitia, site of landing of Beagle 2. The images show several white forms which could be the Airbag S which were to deaden the impact with the ground of the robot.

Successor

In 2004, professor Pillinger announced that it envisaged to launch a version improved of Beagle2, which is called temporarily Beagle 2: Evolution. Launching is envisaged in 2009.

See too

Space probe

External bond

Official site

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