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Mars Pictures Beamed Back To Earth
Ananova ^ | 12-3-2003

Posted on 12/03/2003 3:21:28 PM PST by blam

Mars pictures beamed back to Earth

Pictures of Mars have been received from the craft carrying Beagle 2 - the British probe due to land on the Red Planet on Christmas Day and search for life.

The images from the European Space Agency's Mars Express, captured from a distance of 3.36 million miles, were taken to test its high resolution camera.

Mars Express will use the camera to take close-up pictures of the Martian surface once it begins orbiting the planet. The test is one of a series of checks and rehearsals before the start of a critical series of manoeuvres on December 19.

Beagle 2 will then be "spun out" from the craft and start heading independently towards the planet. Gaele Winters, director of technical operations at ESA's control centre in Germany, said: "We will have to carry out some very precise navigational operations. There is a certain level of tension in the centre."

Both spacecraft are due to arrive at their destination on Christmas Day. While Mars Express fires its main engine to go into Martian orbit, Beagle 2 will head for a landing site within a large impact basin near the planet's equator.

Scientists believe that long ago the Isidis Planitia region may have been covered with water. It is therefore a good place to look for evidence that life once existed on Mars, or might even still survive there. Beagle 2 will collect rock, soil and air samples and analyse them in an on-board laboratory for chemical signs of life.

Meanwhile Mars Express will carry out a detailed survey of the planet from the sky, using powerful radar to search for any water trapped underground. Last month Mars Express, launched into space by a Russian rocket on June 2, weathered a solar storm caused by high energy particles from eruptions on the Sun.

The spacecraft's computers were temporarily disrupted but returned to normal once the storm had passed. Flight officials said Mars Express had also suffered a drop in electrical power to about 70% of what was expected, but did not think this would derail the mission.

Story filed: 16:05 Wednesday 3rd December 2003


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: beamed; earth; mars; pictures
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To: jempet
The Cassini mission is going to rock.

All those enviroweenies tried to prevent its launch a few years ago, but the big payoff is only half a year away.

21 posted on 12/03/2003 6:27:29 PM PST by dead (I used to believe in a lot of things. All of it! Now I believe only in dynamite.)
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To: Salman
How about whichever plannet has a van allen belt? (an electromanetic field which deflect solar radiation like that of earth.) Jupiter has one. Jupiter's moons are covered.
22 posted on 12/03/2003 7:05:48 PM PST by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
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To: Erik Latranyi
If we follow the guidelines set out by environmentalists,...

Environmentalists. So that's what happened to Mars.

23 posted on 12/03/2003 7:27:20 PM PST by Calvin Locke
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To: jempet
The Cassini mission will be a tremendous chapter in the exploration of space. I can't wait, counting down to July.
24 posted on 12/03/2003 7:30:49 PM PST by Brett66
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To: blam

25 posted on 12/03/2003 7:30:58 PM PST by PA Engineer
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To: blam
Maybe they can send Sheila Jackson Lee a picture of the flag that the astronauts left on Mars!
26 posted on 12/03/2003 7:33:58 PM PST by 1riot1ranger
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To: 1riot1ranger
Does that mean America owns Mars?
27 posted on 12/03/2003 7:44:11 PM PST by PA Engineer
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To: longtermmemmory
How about whichever planet has a van allen belt?

A function of having a planetary magnetic field. Earth for sure. Ever used a magnetic compass? Jupiter too, according to what I've read. But apparently not an intrinsic property of being a planet.

28 posted on 12/04/2003 4:08:27 AM PST by Salman (Mickey Akbar)
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To: Gumption
I was talking science, not personal experience.
29 posted on 12/04/2003 8:07:43 AM PST by firebrand
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To: Salman
We're still looking.
30 posted on 12/04/2003 8:08:45 AM PST by firebrand
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To: firebrand
Then what is your scientific basis for stating "where there's water there's life" is a myth?
31 posted on 12/04/2003 1:57:00 PM PST by Gumption
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To: Gumption
Water is a necessary condition for life (probably) but not a sufficient condition.
32 posted on 12/04/2003 3:40:18 PM PST by firebrand
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To: firebrand
I can't follow all that scientific mumbo jumbo.
33 posted on 12/04/2003 4:27:14 PM PST by Gumption
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To: Gumption
I rest my case. : )
34 posted on 12/05/2003 7:53:47 AM PST by firebrand
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