Mars Express mission facts
| How the mission was named: |
Mars Express is so called because it will be built more quickly than any other comparable planetary mission. Beagle 2 was named after the ship in which Charles Darwin sailed when formulating his ideas about evolution. |
| Prime contractor: |
Astrium, Toulouse, France, leading a consortium of 24 companies from 15 European countries and the US |
| Launch date: |
2 June 2003 |
| Launcher: |
Soyuz/Fregat, built by Starsem, the European/Russian launcher consortium |
| Launch mass: |
1120 kg (including 113 kg orbiter payload and 60 kg lander) |
| Lander: |
Beagle 2 |
| Orbiter instruments: |
High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC); Energetic Neutral Atoms Analyser (ASPERA); Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS); Visible and Infra Red Mineralogical Mapping Spectrometer (OMEGA); Sub-Surface Sounding Radar Altimeter (MARSIS); Mars Radio Science Experiment (MaRS); Ultraviolet and Infrared Atmospheric Spectrometer (SPICAM); |
| Spacecraft operations: |
European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), Darmstadt, Germany |
| Ground stations: |
ESA ground station in New Norcia, near Perth, Australia. Foreseen operational duration: One Martian year (687 Earth days) is funded. The spacecraft is designed for a further Martian year's operation. |
| Arrival at Mars: |
December 2003 |
| Lander mission management: |
University of Leicester, UK |
The Mars Express Orbiter will:
- image the entire surface at high resolution (10 metres/pixel) and selected areas at super resolution (2 metres/pixel);
- produce a map of the mineral composition of the surface at 100 metre resolution;
- map the composition of the atmosphere and determine its global circulation;
- determine the structure of the sub-surface to a depth of a few kilometres;
- determine the effect of the atmosphere on the surface;
- determine the interaction of the atmosphere with the solar wind.
|
The Beagle 2 lander was planned to:
- determine the geology and the mineral and chemical composition of the landing site;
- search for life signatures (exobiology);
- study the weather and climate.
|
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