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Construction Begins on Beagle 2

Posted by timothy on from the planetary-galapagos dept.

Bonker writes "CNN reports that Beagle 2, a lander that's part of ESA's next Mars mission, is beginning construction in England. The lander will be constructed in clean-room conditions to avoid being contaminated with any kind of terrestrial life so that it can more accurately determine if there is or was any kind of martian life once it arrives."

3 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. Electrics? by mccalli · · Score: 5, Funny
    Beagle 2, a lander that's part of ESA's next Mars mission, is beginning construction in England.

    Please tell me it doesn't use Lucas electrics.
    Please tell me it doesn't use Lucas electrics.
    Please tell me it doesn't use Lucas electrics.
    Please tell me it doesn't use Lucas electrics.

    This could go very wrong...

    Cheers,
    Ian

  2. What's New by barberio · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The major thing about this mission that is new is that Beagle 2 contains an automated MassSpec. These things are normaly huge, and would have been imposable to get to mars at the time of Viking. But the Beagle 2 designers have worked on miniturizing and compacting one into the space and wieght available.

    This is where the "Beagle 2 will look for life" is coming from. Viking told us general stuff, Rover gave us Geology, Beagle 2 will go for an indepth investigation of exactly what the soil in the area it lands is composed of.

  3. Website by corleth · · Score: 5, Informative

    I just wanted to put in a quick advert for the Beagle 2 website at http://www.beagle2.com/. Many of your questions can be answered there.

    -Karl

    Dr Karl Mitchell
    Planetary Science Research Group
    Environmental Science Dept.
    Lancaster University, UK