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| Listening out for Beagle 2 | [PROJECT] |
| The 76m Lovell Telescope at the Jodrell Bank Observatory is ready to try and find Beagle 2 on Christmas evening. At 10:40 pm GMT Beagle 2 will begin to transmit an on/off sequence each minute -
like very slow Morse Code - and about nearly 9 minutes later the signals should reach Earth. The transmitter power, at 5 watts, is little more than that of a mobile phone, but the team at Jodrell Bank
have installed a very sensitive receiver to pick up the Beagle 2 frequency. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 24-Dec-03 13:56:40 |
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| Martian beer | [PROJECT] |
| Attendees at yesterday's event at the Royal Geographical Society were given a bottle of Mars Magic beer, which has been specially brewed by the Wold Top Brewery to celebrate the Beagle 2 project. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 20-Dec-03 14:45:18 |
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| Beagle 2 update | [PROJECT] |
| On board Mars Express tests have been run to check that the instruments are functioning correctly. Mars Express has successfully come through its first power test on the whole spacecraft after
the gigantic solar flare on 28 October. Since 17 November the onboard software has been 'frozen' after several updates and the spacecraft is now quietly proceeding to its destination. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 25-Nov-03 11:07:19 |
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| BNSC launches Beagle 2 learning and teaching resources | [PROJECT] |
| The British National Space Centre Learning Zone has been developed to provide young learners with engaging and fun resources to support their study, as well as provide lesson plans to support teachers across the curriculum. |
| Check out the BNSC website using the link on the right. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 04-Nov-03 12:15:46 |
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| Teach yourself Beagle 2 | [PROJECT] |
| Mars awaits! Study a short course and follow the action... |
| When the Beagle 2 spacecraft lands on Mars on Christmas Day 2003 it will attempt to answer questions that have fascinated humankind for centuries: Is there life on Mars? Did life exist there in the past?
But why Mars? What is it about the red planet that so fascinates scientists and why do they think that life may have arisen there? |
| If you'd like to understand more about Mars and the science behind Beagle 2 and other missions, then a new Open University short course is designed to do just that. S198 - Exploring Mars: Beagle 2 and the
search for life will give you a better understanding of Mars and allow you to follow developments in the European Space Agency's Mars Express/Beagle 2 mission and NASA's two Mars rover missions as these
spacecraft arrive at Mars over the next few months. The course is designed for people with little or no experience of scientific study. All you need is a keen interest in space exploration, Beagle 2 and other
missions, and, of course, the planet Mars! |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 10-Oct-03 18:43:22 |
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| Beagle 2 delivery plans | [PROJECT] |
| The Beagle 2 delivery to ESA will take place in the near future. We are working with the Mars Express team and ESA to arrive on a mutually agreeable date which is appropriate for the integration tests which
have to be performed. Journalists will be notified of plans when these have been finalised. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 31-Jan-03 09:26:31 |
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| The real thing | [PROJECT] |
| Beagle 2 team members, guests and the media took the opportunity to see the lander in the final stages of assembly which is taking place inside the specially designed facility at the Open University.
Watch the web cast Professor Pillinger explaining to the visitors what they would be able to see when they filed past the viewing area. |
| In a few days the lid will be closed on the instrument payload and the probe components fitted. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 19-Dec-02 12:43:52 |
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| ESA confirm delivery date for Beagle 2 | [PROJECT] |
| The Mars Express prime contractor and the Mars Express ESA Project Manager have agreed the final delivery date for the Beagle 2 Mars lander with the Beagle team. See ESA news item link on the right. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 11-Dec-02 20:27:09 |
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| New Aseptic Assembly Facility at OU | [PROJECT] |
| Professor Pillinger gave a press briefing yesterday and showed a video from the new Aseptic Assembly Facility at the Open University where Beagle 2 is being built. This press release was issued by the British
National Space Centre. Please see the BNSC website for more information about the day (press release link available on the right). |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 24-Jul-02 16:54:38 |
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| Wellcome News | [PROJECT] |
| The Wellcome Trust have made a substantial grant available to the Open University team developing the mass spectrometer, not only to help build the instrument which will analyses martian samples
but to further develop the robust, miniaturised mass spectrometer for potential biomedical and clinical uses on Earth. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 23-May-02 20:25:19 |
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| New Team Colours | [PROJECT] |
| Unveiled at the Consortium meeting in December, the project has adopted a striking colour scheme for display posters. Morphing from yellow through orange to red with purple-blue bullet points, these
colours will increasingly been seen over the coming months. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 08-Feb-02 11:09:28 |
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| Video clips coming soon | [PROJECT] |
| Dr Rob Hough has joined the web team and in the very near future we will be bringing video snippets to the web site. Below: Rob practises getting the Lead Scientist to talk about Beagle 2 - he
doesn't need much persuading! |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 30-May-01 14:41:37 |
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| More power to Beagle 2 | [PROJECT] |
| Beagle 2 now has an extra solar panel. Friends and family of the engineers working on the real thing were introduced to the latest design unveiled at Astrium to coincide with the Odyssey launch.
Watch out for studio pictures of the latest design, coming in the next few days to RESOURCES. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 09-Apr-01 10:43:43 |
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| Sample Return Discussion Meeting | [PROJECT] |
| Pictured below is part of the audience at the meeting held on the 23 March to discuss possible Mars sample return. The meeting was widely reported in the press, the story posted by the Telegraph
reporter reached some unlikely places like the Calgary Herald. The headline in New Scientist summed up the idea - Fetch, Beagle, Fetch ! |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 03-Apr-01 16:16:43 |
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| Returned samples from Mars Meeting (23 March) | [PROJECT] |
| Beagle 2 Lead Scientist said this morning on the Today Programme (BBC R4) "My nightmare scenario is that Beagle 2 gets a sniff of a positive result and we have no plans in place for a follow-up mission".
Being interviewed on the rumour that Mars Polar Lander has been located, he also talked about the need for sample return mission. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 22-Mar-01 09:15:24 |
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| Support for Beagle 2 | [PROJECT] |
| Mechanical Ground Support Equipment from EPS Logistics delivered recently to Astrium in Stevenage. The Solar Array Transport Containers were immediately put to use to ship two development model
solar panel substrates to Spectrolab USA for installation of the solar cells. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 28-Feb-01 15:19:20 |
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| All systems go | [PROJECT] |
| We can now confirm that two important steps have been taken which will ensure that Beagle 2 will lift off. Firstly a repayable underwriting package has been put in place to make funds available now whilst allowing
us to recover sponsorship and advertising revenue later in the programme. Secondly Astrium signed a contract with ESA late on Friday 8 December finally guaranteeing completion of the project. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 08-Dec-00 13:12:56 |
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| News flash | [PROJECT] |
| Whilst we welcome all interest in Beagle 2, the story (posted on Space.com) that the Mars Society is raising funds for an instrument on Beagle 2 IS NOT CORRECT. |
| All sponsorship arrangements are handled by Beagle 2 and its agents M&C Saatchi. Any queries to Professor Pillinger. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 18-Aug-00 12:32:06 |
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| Stones recovered | [PROJECT] |
| Good news following earlier concerns - both the Fregat descent stage and the experimental re-entry capsule to which the Flying Stones samples were attached have now been recovered. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 15-Feb-00 11:19:24 |
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| Soyuz rocket success | [PROJECT] |
| Yesterday the first firing of a Soyuz rocket with a Fregat upper stage was successful. We understand from the Soyuz-Fregat team that the launch of went perfectly to plan. |
| The capsule (with the Open University Flying Stones experiment) has not yet been recovered due to poor weather conditions and the onset of darkness. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 09-Feb-00 12:54:23 |
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| Beagle 2 becomes a dot com | [PROJECT] |
| Yesterday we launched the new version of the Beagle 2 web site. You will notice the differences but if you are a regular visitor you may not be aware that the address has also now changed
to http://www.beagle2.com. |
| The site continues to be hosted at the Open University. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 09-Oct-99 08:33:21 |
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| Unreserved approval | [PROJECT] |
| The European Space Agency has today given Britain's Beagle 2 Mars Lander its unreserved approval. The Beagle 2 project goes forward into the building phase. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 10-Nov-99 14:54:03 |
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| New website | [PROJECT] |
| Due to be launched shortly version 3 of the Beagle 2 website will grow to include much more information on the technology and science behind the project. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 06-Nov-99 11:21:44 |
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| Beagle technically sound | [PROJECT] |
| Last week the team had two major technical reviews held at Matra Marconi Space in Stevenage. The Systems Engineering Review by ESA and the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) by the ESA
Technical Centre (ESTEC) and the prime contractor for the Mars Express platform, Matra Marconi Toulouse (France) were both successfully completed. The Beagle 2 team now await final approval
for the lander from the ESA Science Programme Committee, SPC, due to meet in Paris in November. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 26-Oct-99 15:24:33 |
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| ESA Ministerial Council meetings | [PROJECT] |
| Following meetings of the ESA Ministerial Council in Brussels and the Science Programme Committee in Berne, Project Manager Rudi Schmidt announced that "Mars Express is fully approved within the
150ME and all previous restrictions are removed". This leaves the way clear for Beagle 2 if its financial arrangements can be finalised. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 21-May-99 10:17:24 |
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| Phase B underway | [PROJECT] |
| Phase B studies of Beagle 2 are now well underway. The Project Manager and teams are busy with meetings around the UK and in Europe. Teams are discussing electronics, telecomms, sample
handling, instruments, camera, gas analysis system, the entry system etc. etc. etc. Top left the Phase B kick-off meeting at the OU, December 1998. |
| And top right an Entry, Descent and Landing Systems meeting on heat shields at the OU; bottom left a Camera team meeting at UCL. |
| . . and discussing grinders - amongst a constant supply of coffee in Colin's office at the OU (from l to r. Ian Wright, T.C. Ng, John Hobbs, Mark Sims, Colin Pillinger and Jim Clemmet) |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 20-Jan-99 13:45:20 |
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| Beagle 2 selected for Mars Express | [PROJECT] |
| At the ESA Science Programme Committee (SPC) Meeting held today at Paris HQ, the Committee approved the Mars Express mission for launch in 2003. The mission will be re-approved at the end of Phase B (end 1999). |
| Beagle 2 is approved likewise until the end of 1999. Whilst our current funding plan was acceptable to ESA, we will need to confirm further financial backing so that the future of Beagle 2 is assured to the launch date. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 03-Nov-98 12:16:32 |
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| Beagle 2 a priority | [PROJECT] |
| Following three scientific peer reviews and one technical assessment, the European Space Agency have confirmed the Beagle 2 lander as a priority for the 2003 Mars Express mission. The news was
announced last night by Sir Peter Gadsden at a reception for the Research Team given by the City of London Corporation at Mansion House. |
| ESA Science News carries the announcement on line that the Space Science Advisory Committee (following advice from the Solar System Working Group) endorsed the proposal of the Beagle 2 lander
for Mars Express, under certain conditions. |
| The final decision now lies with the Science Programme Committee which meets 2/3 November, by which time a credible funding plan for Beagle 2 must be in place. |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 01-Oct-98 16:57:21 |
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| Proposal submitted to ESA | [PROJECT] |
| The proposal for a 60 kg lander was safely delivered to ESA Headquarters and ESTEC for technical endorsement. |
| Meanwhile the hunt for funding continues. |
| Pictured the schematic of Beagle 2 lander in deployed configuration on the martian surface (thermal insulation removed). |
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Posted by: Beagle 2 Team | 03-Jul-98 17:37:24 |
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