Beagle begins hunt for life on Mars

A British probe that could provide the first proof of life on another planet was on its way to Mars tonight.

The Beagle 2 Lander, carried by the European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft, was starting a 250 million mile journey to the Red Planet after a text book launch.

A Russian Soyuz-Fregat rocket blasted Mars Express into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 6.45pm.

About two hours later mission controllers confirmed that the space craft had successfully left earth orbit and was on its way to Mars.

Beagle 2 is scheduled to parachute down to the Martian surface early on Christmas Day, where it will search for signs of past or present life.

Professor Colin Pillinger, who dreamt up the idea for a British built Martian lander six years ago and has led the project ever since, said: “This is the first step of a journey of 250 million miles. It’s the quarter final – the semi-final’s when we enter the atmosphere and land on the Red Planet. The final’s when the science starts. It’s a long way to go yet.”

He reminded an audience of scientists and guests watching the launch via a live link at the BT Centre in London that 50 years ago Britain was full of excitement over the Queen’s Coronation. At the same time Britons were celebrating the conquest of Mount Everest.

Prof Pillinger added: “There were people sleeping in The Mall that night waiting for the Coronation and they were regaled by the newspaper headline ’All this and Everest too’.

“I thought today’s headline should be ’All this and Beagle 2’.”

The professor of planetary science at the Open University, sold the idea of including a life-seeking Martian Lander on the Mars Express Mission to ESA six years ago.

The mission is the first European attempt to land a spacecraft on another planet.

Beagle 2 is also unique in another way. Much of the cost – estimated at around £30 million – is to be paid for by private sponsorship.

When Beagle 2 arrives on Mars, bouncing down on a set of inflatable bags, it will announce it has landed safely by transmitting a tune especially composed by the pop group Blur.

Among the invited guests at the launch party was Blur bass player Alex James.

The spacecraft also carries a spot painting by artist Damien Hirst which will be used to calibrate Beagle 2’s instrument.

The 68 kilogram clam-like craft – about the size of a motorcycle wheel – is being aimed at Isidis Planitia, a large lowlands basin north of the Martian equator. Scientists believe there was once water there, and possibly life.

Once it has landed, Beagle 2 will open up like a pocket watch, unfolding its solar panels and revealing its cameras and instruments.

The lander has an extendable arm enabling it to reach out and gather samples for testing in an onboard laboratory.

It is equipped with a rock drill and grinder, and a “mole” that can burrow under the ground to extract soil from a depth of 1.5 metres.

The probe will also sample the atmosphere, checking for methane – a certain indicator of life still thriving today on Mars.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair sent a special message of congratulations to the Beagle 2 team.

He said: “This mission to Mars is an historic opportunity for the UK, working with our European partners, to demonstrate itself as a world leader in science technology and innovation.

“Beagle 2 is an exciting project, which combines the best in UK science and industry, and a powerful example of the benefits of Government’s continued investment and support in this area.

“Beagle 2 offers fascinating potential to learn more about the fundamental origins of life. I wish it good luck on a difficult and challenging mission.”

Scientists believe billions of years ago there was abundant water on Mars which carved valleys and gullies, lake beds and alluvial plains.

Today Mars is a cold barren desert and where all the water went is a mystery. The Americans space agency Nasa has found evidence to suggest there may be large quantities of frozen water underground.

The Mars express orbiter will probe the Martian surface with a “water divining” ground penetrating radar, and will also search for traces of water in the atmosphere.

In addition it will take photographs of the surface more detailed than any obtained before.