The Ongoing Mars Explorer Thread

Peter Kline · 12-23-2003, 12:51 PM

Quote:

On Thursday, Mars will have something in common with many families on Earth: It will have a visitor for Christmas.

That's when the European Space Agency's Beagle 2 lander — a British-made spacecraft designed to search for signs of past and present life — will touch down on the Red Planet. Charles Darwin developed many of his ideas about evolution while on a voyage on HMS Beagle

Complete story here.

Jack Briggs · 12-23-2003, 02:36 PM

Not only that, there's going to be a good, old-fashioned holiday traffic jam at Mars in January, when MER-1 and MER-2 arrive and dispatch their rovers (Spirit and Opportunity) from the orbiters. No wonder JulieK has been scarce.

Too bad about the Japanese spacecraft, though.

So, already in Martian orbit are the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft and the Mars Global Surveyor.

MER-1 and MER-2 will remain in Martian orbit, as will the Mars Express (the Beagle's "mothership"). And on the surface, one immobile lander (the Beagle) and the two NASA rovers.

And let's hope the public gets caught up in the glorious excitement of it all.

Peter Kline · 12-23-2003, 02:52 PM

Jack,

It should be a teriffic time. Let's celebrate by buying a Mars bar!

Peter

MikeM · 12-23-2003, 09:18 PM

...or rent Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It."

BrianShort · 12-24-2003, 03:02 AM

Jack: Do the MER's have orbital portions? I thought they were just rovers.

Brian

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CharlesD · 12-24-2003, 08:55 AM

There are no orbiters for MER-1 and MER-2 (MER stands for Mars Exploration Rover). They are both direct shots like the Pathfinder mission, i.e. they are aimed directly at Mars and do not go into orbit before landing.

Hopefully tomorrow we can say "the Beagle has landed"

Peter Kline · 12-24-2003, 09:14 AM

Ruff!

Jack Briggs · 12-24-2003, 10:51 AM

Woops, typed too hastily and without thinking. Correct: MERs 1 and 2 are landers only. And either Global Surveyor or Odyssey (forget which one) is being repositioned in orbit to serve as a relay station for the three landers.

Yes, I too hope we hear the words "the Beagle has landed" in a few hours.

Danny Tse · 12-24-2003, 11:22 AM

The Martians are going to think we're launching some kind of invasion and will take countermeasures.

Listen to me now and believe me later "Run for your life!!"

After its landing on Mars, I am hoping the British Beagle will send back the message "Shaken, but not stirred".

BrianShort · 12-24-2003, 11:51 AM

What time is the Beagle 2 supposed to be landing? When can we expect to hear from it?

Brian