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Author Topic: Beagle 2  (Read 4123 times)

Offline darren r

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Beagle 2
« on: January 16, 2015, 05:23:34 AM »
According to the Guardian newspaper this morning, the UK space agency has confirmed that Beagle 2 did land on Mars. No details yet, but they'll be making an announcement later. What a shame Colin Pillinger isn't still around.
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Offline Zakalwe

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Re: Beagle 2
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2015, 05:46:57 AM »
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Offline Luke Pemberton

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Re: Beagle 2
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2015, 01:33:49 PM »
Quote from: darren r on January 16, 2015, 05:23:34 AM
According to the Guardian newspaper this morning, the UK space agency has confirmed that Beagle 2 did land on Mars. No details yet, but they'll be making an announcement later.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30784886

Quote
What a shame Colin Pillinger isn't still around.

My thoughts exactlly when I read the news. I felt so sorry for Colin after the event, seeing his work 'fail' in the glare of the press and some of the finger pointing and mockery he faced aftewards. Landing on Mars ain't  like dusting crops.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2015, 01:52:27 PM by Luke Pemberton »
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Offline onebigmonkey

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Re: Beagle 2
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2015, 04:24:28 AM »
My reaction was exactly the same: such a shame he couldn't have seen this.

If the interpretation of the photographs is correct it came agonisingly close to success. You have to wonder what would have happened had the antenna not been under all those petals - a tiny design change might have been all it needed.
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Offline Dalhousie

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Re: Beagle 2
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2015, 12:12:24 AM »
Quote from: onebigmonkey on January 17, 2015, 04:24:28 AM
You have to wonder what would have happened had the antenna not been under all those petals - a tiny design change might have been all it needed.

Presumably there were good reasons for that.  It is also ironic that the whole lander deployment was probably the most exhaustively tested aspect of EDL.
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