maxsona
14-12-2003, 11:51
http://www.mclaren.com/beagle2/images/beagle2a.jpg
WHAT IS THE BEAGLE 2 LANDER?
The Beagle 2 Mars craft represents by far the most sophisticated attempt to answer the age old question ‘is there life on Mars?’
The Beagle 2 Lander is integrated onto the European Space Agency Mars Express which will power it towards the red planet.
Five days before Beagle 2 is due to enter the atmosphere, it will then be separated from the mothercraft and land on the surface of Mars.
The lander, which is just 65cm in diameter will analyse rock and soil samples using a robotic arm, which is powered by solar panels.
“The Beagle 2 Mars Landing is a very, very important project,” says astronomer Patrick Moore. “It’s extremely exciting. I’m 50/50 on whether life will be there, but I really hope it is.”
WHEN DID IT LAUNCH AND WHEN IS IT DUE TO LAND ON MARS?
Mars Express was launched on June 2, 2003 at 19:45 CET from the Central Soyuz launcher from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
It is due to touch down on the surface of Mars on Christmas Day (December 25) 2003 at the end of a 250 million mile, five month journey. It will land at a speed of 45 mph, after its initial approach is slowed down from 13,000mph by the most sophisticated parachute system ever designed. It is due to land in an equatorial region that was probably flooded in the past, and where traces of life may have been preserved.
The Mars Express orbiter will observe the planet and its atmosphere from a near-polar orbit, and will remain in operation for at least a whole Martian year (687 Earth days).
WHAT IS McLAREN APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES' INVOLVEMENT?
McLaren Composites has been responsible for developing composite materials for the construction of the surface lander – Beagle 2 – within the Mars Express which will be responsible for finding out whether there is life on Mars.
There were a number of strict parameters within which McLaren Composites had to work. Beagle 2 had to be light enough to meet the strict overall weight restrictions imposed by the customer, and yet strong enough to cope with the stress of a rocket launch, the impact of landing at a speed of 45mph and extremes of temperatures as low as minus 70C.
IS THERE LIFE ON MARS ?
The robotic arm on Beagle 2 will collect samples of rock and soil from the surface of Mars. It can dig up to two metres below Mars’ surface and the samples will then be analysed in a minature on board laboratory.
Whether there will be signs of life, we will have to wait and see but Beagle 2 project leader Professor Colin Pillinger admits he would certainly like to be able to announce that signs of life are there. “I’d be like Copernicus when he discovered that Earth rotated around the Sun rather than vice versa,” he says.
Whatever happens though, Beagle 2 will not be coming back to earth and there will be a corner of the Red Planet that will forever remain McLaren !
:O
WHAT IS THE BEAGLE 2 LANDER?
The Beagle 2 Mars craft represents by far the most sophisticated attempt to answer the age old question ‘is there life on Mars?’
The Beagle 2 Lander is integrated onto the European Space Agency Mars Express which will power it towards the red planet.
Five days before Beagle 2 is due to enter the atmosphere, it will then be separated from the mothercraft and land on the surface of Mars.
The lander, which is just 65cm in diameter will analyse rock and soil samples using a robotic arm, which is powered by solar panels.
“The Beagle 2 Mars Landing is a very, very important project,” says astronomer Patrick Moore. “It’s extremely exciting. I’m 50/50 on whether life will be there, but I really hope it is.”
WHEN DID IT LAUNCH AND WHEN IS IT DUE TO LAND ON MARS?
Mars Express was launched on June 2, 2003 at 19:45 CET from the Central Soyuz launcher from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
It is due to touch down on the surface of Mars on Christmas Day (December 25) 2003 at the end of a 250 million mile, five month journey. It will land at a speed of 45 mph, after its initial approach is slowed down from 13,000mph by the most sophisticated parachute system ever designed. It is due to land in an equatorial region that was probably flooded in the past, and where traces of life may have been preserved.
The Mars Express orbiter will observe the planet and its atmosphere from a near-polar orbit, and will remain in operation for at least a whole Martian year (687 Earth days).
WHAT IS McLAREN APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES' INVOLVEMENT?
McLaren Composites has been responsible for developing composite materials for the construction of the surface lander – Beagle 2 – within the Mars Express which will be responsible for finding out whether there is life on Mars.
There were a number of strict parameters within which McLaren Composites had to work. Beagle 2 had to be light enough to meet the strict overall weight restrictions imposed by the customer, and yet strong enough to cope with the stress of a rocket launch, the impact of landing at a speed of 45mph and extremes of temperatures as low as minus 70C.
IS THERE LIFE ON MARS ?
The robotic arm on Beagle 2 will collect samples of rock and soil from the surface of Mars. It can dig up to two metres below Mars’ surface and the samples will then be analysed in a minature on board laboratory.
Whether there will be signs of life, we will have to wait and see but Beagle 2 project leader Professor Colin Pillinger admits he would certainly like to be able to announce that signs of life are there. “I’d be like Copernicus when he discovered that Earth rotated around the Sun rather than vice versa,” he says.
Whatever happens though, Beagle 2 will not be coming back to earth and there will be a corner of the Red Planet that will forever remain McLaren !
:O