Mars Express is so called because it will be built more quickly than any other comparable planetary mission. Beagle 2 was named after the ship in which Charles Darwin sailed when formulating his ideas about evolution.
Prime contractor:
Astrium, Toulouse, France, leading a consortium of 24 companies from 15 European countries and the US
Launch date:
2 June 2003
Launcher:
Soyuz/Fregat, built by Starsem, the European/Russian launcher consortium
Launch mass:
1120 kg (including 113 kg orbiter payload and 60 kg lander)
Lander:
Beagle 2
Orbiter instruments:
High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC); Energetic Neutral Atoms Analyser (ASPERA); Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS); Visible and Infra Red Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA); Sub-Surface Sounding Radar Altimeter (MARSIS); Mars Radio Science Experiment (MaRS); Ultraviolet and Infrared Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM);
Spacecraft operations:
European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), Darmstadt, Germany
Ground stations:
ESA ground station in New Norcia, near Perth, Australia. Foreseen operational duration: One Martian year (687 Earth days) is funded. The spacecraft is designed for a further Martian year's operation.
Arrival at Mars:
December 2003
Lander mission management:
University of Leicester, UK
The Mars Express Orbiter will:
image the entire surface at high resolution (10 metres/pixel) and selected areas at super resolution (2 metres/pixel);
produce a map of the mineral composition of the surface at 100 metre resolution;
map the composition of the atmosphere and determine its global circulation;
determine the structure of the sub-surface to a depth of a few kilometres;
determine the effect of the atmosphere on the surface;
determine the interaction of the atmosphere with the solar wind.
The Beagle 2 lander was planned to:
determine the geology and the mineral and chemical composition of the landing site;
search for life signatures (exobiology);
study the weather and climate.
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