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| | | | | | | Mars Express mission facts
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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. |
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Prime contractor: |
Astrium, Toulouse, France, leading a consortium of 24 companies from 15 European countries and the US |
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Launch date: | 2 June 2003 |
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Launcher: |
Soyuz/Fregat, built by Starsem, the European/Russian launcher consortium |
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Launch mass: |
1120 kg (including 113 kg orbiter payload and 60 kg lander) |
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Lander: |
Beagle 2 |
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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); |
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Spacecraft operations: |
European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), Darmstadt, Germany |
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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. |
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Arrival at Mars: |
December 2003 |
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Lander mission management: |
University of Leicester, UK
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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.
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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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| | Orbiter instruments High Resolution Stereo CameraOMEGAPlanetary Fourier SpectrometerASPERAMaRS - Radio Science ExperimentMARSISRelated links AstriumStarsem - the SoyuzUniversity of Leicester
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