Skip to comments.
Beagle 2 found on surface of Mars after vanishing for 12 years [UK Spacecraft]
Telegraph UK ^
| 10:00AM GMT 16 Jan 2015
| By Sarah Knapton, Science Editor
Posted on 01/16/2015 6:13:59 AM PST by Red Badger
Britain's Beagle 2 lander has finally been spotted, 12 years after it went missing while trying to land on the surface of Mars
History books will need to be rewritten after scientists announced today that Beagle 2 has been finally been found on Mars, 12 years after it vanished without trace.
The beleaguered spacecraft, which has become a byword for mission failure, was spotted by scientists operating the HiRise camera on NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). It was discovered just 5km from its original touchdown site in the Isidis Planitia basin.
And it appears that just one faulty motor was behind the unsuccessful landing. The images show that solar panels which should have folded out to reveal a radio antennae, failed to open. An unlucky bounce on it's side may also have mishapen the probe preventing it from opening up properly.
Professor Mark Sims of Leicester University said: "It's like dropping a tin of baked beans and denting it then trying to get the lid off. It's not easy."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Technical; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: astronomy; beagle; beagle2; lostmarslander; lostmarsprobe; mars; science
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-22 next last
Video at link...................
To: Red Badger
2
posted on
01/16/2015 6:14:41 AM PST
by
Red Badger
(If you compromise with evil, you just get more evil..........................)
To: Red Badger
Previously it was thought that the lander had been destroyed on impact after crashing to the ground when its parachute and airbags failed to deploy. But now it seems Beagle 2 made it safely to the surface but was crippled when it could not link up to Earth.
3
posted on
01/16/2015 6:15:21 AM PST
by
Red Badger
(If you compromise with evil, you just get more evil..........................)
To: Red Badger
4
posted on
01/16/2015 6:16:22 AM PST
by
Red Badger
(If you compromise with evil, you just get more evil..........................)
To: Red Badger
5
posted on
01/16/2015 6:28:38 AM PST
by
smokingfrog
( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
To: Red Badger
Unfortunately, it had been parked in the wrong neighborhood...and the locals didn't leave too much.
6
posted on
01/16/2015 6:30:36 AM PST
by
moovova
To: Red Badger
7
posted on
01/16/2015 6:47:42 AM PST
by
null and void
(The aggregate effect of competitive capitalism is indistinguishable from magic)
To: Red Badger
Seriously though...
Hopefully, this thing will be in a museum on Earth one of these days. I can see a landing party arriving on Mars, crating it up, and returning it to earth. Of course, science and space exploration will have to advance greatly before that happens. But, I could see my grandkids or they’re grandkids going thru a huge display at a museum. Sort of like the German U-Boat in the Chicago museum or the Hunley in Charleston.
Don’t laugh. Who would’ve guessed you could shoot a blob of metal at Mars, some 2-3 million miles away... and hit within 5 miles of the target.
8
posted on
01/16/2015 6:47:44 AM PST
by
moovova
To: Red Badger
9
posted on
01/16/2015 6:52:44 AM PST
by
william clark
(Ecclesiastes 10:2)
To: william clark
10
posted on
01/16/2015 6:53:25 AM PST
by
Riley
(The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column.)
To: Red Badger
So it’s now confirmed: the Beagle has landed.
11
posted on
01/16/2015 7:14:14 AM PST
by
IronJack
To: moovova
Who wouldve guessed you could shoot a blob of metal at Mars, some 2-3 million miles away... and hit within 5 miles of the target.
I'm sure the overall mission was considered a failure, but it's a pretty admirable accomplishment that the craft made it to the surface.
I think, due to the many successes of the U.S. space program over the years, we tend not to appreciate what these scientists and engineers have managed to pull off. 100 years ago, we had just figured out how to fly. Who would have guessed that air travel would be so commonplace as to be monotonous, that multiple humans would actually go to the moon, land on the surface, and then come home safely. That we would send multiple robots to another planet, and out to the far reaches of the solar system. It's just incredible.
12
posted on
01/16/2015 7:14:22 AM PST
by
chrisser
(Silly Wabbit. Trix are for kids. And Cheetos are for Rinos.)
To: Red Badger
We have 3 beagles. Great dogs!
13
posted on
01/16/2015 7:20:48 AM PST
by
gop4lyf
(Claire Wolfe called. She said the Awkward Phase is over.)
To: Red Badger
The images show that solar panels which should have folded out to reveal a radio antennae, failed to open. Probably built by Lucas, Prince of Darkness. :^)
14
posted on
01/16/2015 7:23:10 AM PST
by
Vinnie
To: chrisser
I reread the article. I was wrong...it was 5km! Even better.
15
posted on
01/16/2015 7:23:56 AM PST
by
moovova
To: Red Badger
Couldn’t the Rover go over and fix it?
To: Vinnie
Lucas - P.O.D. ... snicker!
You must have owned a Morgan or an MGB back in the day ...
17
posted on
01/16/2015 7:59:14 AM PST
by
ByteMercenary
(Healthcare Insurance is *NOT* a Constitutional right.)
To: ByteMercenary
A relative owned a Jag.
I remember the old Lucas Flamethrower headlights.
18
posted on
01/16/2015 9:01:59 AM PST
by
Vinnie
To: Red Badger
“It’s like dropping a tin of baked beans and denting it then trying to get the lid off. It’s not easy.”
NASA is now researching on how to opened dented cans of beans, but of course they cannot open a can of pork and beans due to their muslim outreach program.
19
posted on
01/16/2015 9:11:17 AM PST
by
rey
To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
Beagle 2 keyword, surprisingly large:
other lost probes:
20
posted on
01/16/2015 11:36:10 AM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-22 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson