Beagle 2

 2003-022

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Beagle 2 is the UK lander for Mars Express. Mass is 68 kg. Landed mass 33 kg; back cover 13 kg. Decelerator is 16 kg.

Astrium/Martin-Baker lander.

Separates from Mars Express at MOI-5d (Dec 19 for a Jun 2 launch) Land at 11.53N 269.47W (postflight values) in Isidis Planitia 2003 Dec 25. Signals were not received from Beagle-2 after ejection. The mission team claimed it is possible that thinner than expected Martian atmosphere caused the spacecraft to crash, but an independent inquiry disagreed with this analysis and suggested that any of several design problems with the vehicle could have caused the failure, including parachute and airbag vulnerabilities.

Double cone heat shield

Disc + 4 circular panels.

Entry at 5.5 km/s and -16.5 deg (original plan -18 degrees before final mass update).

Nominal values 120.0 km, 277.5W 9.893N at 5.4074 km/s, -16.6 deg relative, or 5.6417 km/s in. Azimuth 73 deg.

Per Cramm R, Gamo J, Baiske R 2004, ISSFD meeting, Reconstructed Beagle 2 Trajectory, entry time was 0251:22, -16.63 deg relative, over 277.04 +11.14N (vs 11.21 nominal).

Beagle-2
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
2003 Dec 19	0832:14TDB	Beagle-2 sep 0.30m/s
		MOI-5 Sep from ME and spinup	-128? x -24235? x 19.6
2003 Dec 25	0247:48 s	Entry at 120 km 5.5 km/s
		Back cover release
	0250:12s	Pilot chute, heat shield release, 7.1 km, 0.33 km/s
	0251:00	Main chute
	0251:43	Airbags, 275 m
	0252:00	First bounce
	0254:00s	At rest, Landing; gas bag sep
2015 Jan		Discovered in images at 90.4295E 11.5265N

Payload:

• Heat shield (EADS LV)

• Parachute system

• Air bags

• Bioshield (ejected in solar orbit)

• Paw Robotic arm (LU)

• Rock corer and grinder,

• Drill

• GAP Gas Analysis Package (OU/MPA)

• Gas sample mass spectrometer (PSRI)

• Mole (DLR-Koln), mobile soil collector 5m cable. on Paw.

• Panoramic camera (MSSL)

• Mossbauer spectrometer

• X-ray rock analyser