European Space Agency
Science News Release 6-2003
Paris, France

8 July 2003

Beagle 2 tests successfully completed

On Friday 4 July, and Saturday 5 July 2003, engineers successfully carried out
overnight tests on the Mars Express lander, Beagle 2.

Ground controllers at the European Space Agency's Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, contacted Mars Express at the weekend to carry out the tests on the lander, which were rescheduled from two weeks ago. These functional tests included uploading software and switching units on and off.

With these tests, the near-Earth phase of the Mars Express payload check-outs is almost complete. All instruments, including the lander, have performed as expected. Star calibration of some instruments is scheduled for mid-July, which marks the first attempt to make scientific measurements. This will also be done in the same way when nearer to Mars.

Rudi Schmidt, ESA Mars Express Project Manager, said: "This check-out was a marvellous example of complete cooperation between ESA's Mars Express and the Beagle lander teams Another major milestone has been achieved successfully. What a fantastic feeling!"

For further information please contact:

Rudolf Schmidt, ESA Mars Express Project Manager
ESA-ESTEC
Tel: +31 (0)71 565 3603
E-mail: rudolf.schmidt@esa.int

Related articles

* Clamps away, Mars Express eases its grip on its lander
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM6BSS1VED_index_0.html
* Mars Express en route for the Red Planet
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMIKNS1VED_index_0.html
* Mars Express -- ESA sets ambitious goals for the first European mission to Mars
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMV72S1VED_index_0.html

Related links

* Europe goes to Mars
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/index.html
* ESA Science
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/index.html
* Russian Space Agency
http://www.rosaviakosmos.ru/english/eindex.htm

Media info

* Science News Release
http://www.esa.int/sci_mediacentre/release2003.html?release=25

IMAGE CAPTION:
[http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMZB7XO4HD_index_1.html]
The Beagle 2 lander, to be carried on ESA's Mars Express, is equipped with a
suite of instruments designed to look for evidence of life on Mars. Credits: ESA.