Beagle 2 remains silent
Posted: Sat, Dec 27, 2003, 12:05 PM ET (1705 GMT)
Latest efforts by spacecraft and ground-based telescopes have failed to detect any signals from the British-built Beagle 2 lander, and project officials now believe that the best chance to contact the spacecraft may have to wait until early January. Attempts on Friday by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, as well as the 76-meter Lovell radio telescope at Jodrell Bank in the UK, failed to detect any signals from Beagle 2, which landed on the Martian surface in the early morning hours Thursday. Beagle 2 lead scientist Colin Pillinger said Saturday that the best chance to contact the lander may have to wait until January 4, when the spacecraft exhausts its pre-programmed communications sessions and switches to an automatic transmission mode, broadcasting a signal throughout the Martian day. By that time ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft, which entered orbit at the same time Beagle 2 landed, will be available to communicate with the lander; the orbiter carries communications equipment specifically designed for Beagle 2. Pillinger said he was "frustrated rather than concerned" about the lack of contact with the spacecraft.
Latest efforts by spacecraft and ground-based telescopes have failed to detect any signals from the British-built Beagle 2 lander, and project officials now believe that the best chance to contact the spacecraft may have to wait until early January. Attempts on Friday by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, as well as the 76-meter Lovell radio telescope at Jodrell Bank in the UK, failed to detect any signals from Beagle 2, which landed on the Martian surface in the early morning hours Thursday. Beagle 2 lead scientist Colin Pillinger said Saturday that the best chance to contact the lander may have to wait until January 4, when the spacecraft exhausts its pre-programmed communications sessions and switches to an automatic transmission mode, broadcasting a signal throughout the Martian day. By that time ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft, which entered orbit at the same time Beagle 2 landed, will be available to communicate with the lander; the orbiter carries communications equipment specifically designed for Beagle 2. Pillinger said he was "frustrated rather than concerned" about the lack of contact with the spacecraft.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, July 25
ESA statement on the wildfires near Cebreros
ESA — 10:51 am ET (1451 GMT) Does SpaceX’s plan for a data centre in space add up?
The Economist — 10:46 am ET (1446 GMT) Ispace Gets ESA Backing For Magpie Rover
Aviation Week — 10:38 am ET (1438 GMT) SpaceX Successfully Deploys First V3 Starlink Satellites As Starship Completes Thirteenth Test Flight
Swarajya — 10:34 am ET (1434 GMT) Ukraine Plans $1.1 Billion Satellite Constellation to Reduce Reliance on Starlink
Kyiv Post — 10:33 am ET (1433 GMT) |
