Major setback for Britain's Mars probe mission
( 2003-12-25 15:12) (Agencies)
A British space mission to
Mars suffered a major setback on Thursday when its probe failed to broadcast a
signal to confirm it had landed on the red planet.
Scientists had hoped their mission rocket, orbiting Mars, would hear a nine
note tune coming from Beagle 2, which had been due to land on the planet earlier
in the day.
But by 6:15 a.m. (0615 GMT) the rocket passed out of the potential signal
range without hearing anything.
"We're disappointed, but it's not the end of the world," said mission head
Colin Pillinger. He said the failure to detect the signal + composed for the
occasion by British pop group Blur + did not mean Beagle 2 had crashed or burned
up as it headed to Mars.
Pillinger said there would be a second opportunity to pick up a signal late
on Christmas Day.
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