British Spacecraft to Explore Mars

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British Spacecraft to Explore Mars

• Craft to search for signs of life on the red
  planet
• Full Story

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Beagle 2

• The Beagle 2 Lander was launched from Kazakhstan
  on June 2nd this year.
• Mars arrival mid-December

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Mars Explorer

• Shuttle which will orbit Mars
• In orbit for one Martian year
• Antenna will receive Beagle 2 data

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Martian Past

• Mars may have had water
• Could have possibly supported life
• Water lost due to asteroid collisions
• Water may exist underground as ice

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Beagle 2 Duties

• Collect soil and rock samples
• Dig into Mars
• Search for organic materials
• Search for traces of methane

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Beagle 2 Equipment
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Beagle 2 Specifications

• Weight 73 lbs.
• Cost 60 million
• Landing Date December 2003
• Energy Source Solar Power
• Mission Length 180 days

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Beagle 2 Diagram
Key 1 Spin Up Eject Mechanism 2
Thermal Protection 3 Pilot chute and deployment
device 4 HEPA filter 5 Stowed main parachute 6
Stowed airbags 7 Stowed lander 8 Airbag gassing
system9 Front shield structure 10 Thermal
protection 11 Solar absorber 12 Gas Analysis
Package 13 PAW 14 Robotic arm 15 Electronics 16
Battery 17 Transceiver 18 Lander base 19 Main
hinger 20 Solar panel hinge 21 Antenna 22 Lid
structure 23 Solar Cells
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Beagle 2 Landing Zone

• Isdis Planitia Basin
• 11 Degrees North of Martian Equator
• Shows signs of water

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Other Mars Landers

• Two U.S. crafts to land in January
• Japans craft Nozomi orbiter
• Nozomi launched in 1998
• Plagued by problems.

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References

• Clip art www-curator.jsc.nasa.gov/curator/
  antmet/marsmets/text.htm
• Beagle 2 information http//www.beagle2.com/index
  .htm
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