spacetoday.net: Beagle 2 separates from Mars Express

Posted: Fri, Dec 19, 2003, 1:54 PM ET (1854 GMT)
Beagle 2 lander illustration (Beagle 2)

The British-built Beagle 2 spacecraft successfully separated from ESA's Mars Express spacecraft on Friday, setting the stage for a Christmas Day landing on the Red Planet. Beagle 2 separated from Mars Express at 3:51 am EST (0831 GMT) Friday. Confirmation that the separation took place was received by ground controllers nearly three hours later, after Mars Express adjusted its orientation to communicate with Earth. Mars Express also photographed Beagle 2 after separation. The successful separation puts Beagle 2 on a trajectory to land on Mars in the early morning hours (European time) of December 25. The 70-kg spacecraft will remain dormant until shortly before landing. At the same time that Beagle 2 lands, Mars Express, ESA's first Mars mission, will enter orbit around the planet.