Regal Beagle Fell and Broke His Crown?

Posted 25 Dec 2003 at 14:48 UTC by The Swirling Brain

It looks like it's two down and two to go. ESA's rover called Beagle 2 was scheduled to land Christmas morning, but so far the Beagle hasn't phoned home. There could be a multitude of reasons why communications have not been established. It could be just that the Beagle 2 has to recharge its batteries on the first day or it won't last the night. At least we know that the Ma rs Express Orbitor seems to be OK. ESA scientists haven't given't up hope yet on Beagle 2, but it already seems like Mars has claimed another victim (we lost Japan's rover earlier this month). With all of these failed Mars craft, should we really send humans to Mars?

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Some humans should definitely be sent to Mars., posted 27 Dec 2003 at 16:30 UTC by Frank McNeill » (Apprentice)

My nominees are: Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Oprah. If there is room for more passengers, I can also suggest several CEOs, politicians, automobile dealers, doctors and lawyers that should be sent somewhere far away from Houston.

The Beagle hasn't landed, posted 28 Dec 2003 at 07:26 UTC by motters » (Master)

The continued hopes for Beagle seem unrealistic in my opinion. Generally with these things if they don't begin transmitting shortly after landing then they're never going to transmit.

There are many things which could have gone wrong. The parachutes might have failed, or the air bags, or the robot might have landed in a ditch or got wedged between rocks so that the 'petals' can't open fully. Or it could have just landed on a steep slope with its antenna pointing in the wrong direction.

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