[meteorite-list] Mars Express Releases Beagle 2

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:18:01 2004
Message-ID: <200312191637.IAA21451_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esrin.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMSSY274OD_index_0.html

Paris, 19 December 2003
European Space Agency
Press Release
N° 83-2003

Mars Express releases Beagle 2

This morning, ESA's Mars Express flawlessly released the Beagle 2 lander
that it has been carrying since its launch on 2 June this year. Beagle 2
is now on its journey towards the surface of Mars, where it is expected to
land early in the morning of 25 December. Mars Express, Europe's first
mission to Mars, has passed another challenging milestone on its way
towards its final destination.

At 9:31 CET, the crucial sequence started to separate the Beagle 2 lander
from Mars Express. As data from Mars Express confirm, the pyrotechnic
device was fired to slowly release a loaded spring, which gently pushed
Beagle 2 away from the mother spacecraft. An image from the onboard visual
monitoring camera (VMC) showing the lander drifting away is expected to be
available later today.

Since the Beagle 2 lander has no propulsion system of its own, it had to
be put on the correct course for its descent before it was released. For
this reason, on 16 December the trajectory of the whole Mars Express
spacecraft had to be adjusted to ensure that Beagle 2 would be on course
to enter the atmosphere of Mars. This manoeuvre, called "retargeting'' was
critical: if the entry angle is too steep, the lander could overheat and
burn up in the atmosphere; if the angle is too shallow, the lander might
skim like a pebble on the surface of a lake and miss its target.
 
This fine targeting and today's release were crucial manoeuvres for which
ESA's Ground Control Team at ESOC (European Space Operations Centre) had
trained over the past several months. The next major milestone for Mars
Express will be the manoeuvre to enter into orbit around Mars. This will
happen at 2:52 CET on Christmas morning, when Beagle 2 is expected to land
on the surface of Mars.

"Good teamwork by everybody - ESA, industry and the Beagle 2 team - has
got one more critical step accomplished. Mars, here comes Europe!" said
David Southwood, ESA Director of Science.


For further information, please contact :
ESA Media Relations Service
Tel: +33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690
Received on Fri 19 Dec 2003 11:37:01 AM PST