A European spacecraft that broke off contact as it attempted to land on Mars may have jettisoned its parachute too early, investigators believe.

A British spacecraft which disappeared as it approached Mars in search of alien life successfully landed on the Red Planet’s surface, scientists behind the £50m (€65m) project said.

A British spacecraft which disappeared as it approached Mars in search of alien life has been spotted on the Red Planet’s surface, the head of the UK Space Agency has confirmed.

With Doctor Who back on our screens this weekend, fans will be looking forward to a whole range of new alien adversaries to enjoy and fear. But how many aliens imagined by science-fiction might actually exist somewhere out there in our universe?

BRITAIN got its own space agency yesterday, represented by the Union Flag morphed into a soaring arrow.