Mars Express releases Beagle 2
19 December 2003
ESA PR 83-2003.This morning, ESA's Mars Express flawlessly released the Beagle 2 lander that it has been carrying since its launch on 2 June this year. Beagle 2 is now on its journey towards the surface of Mars, where it is expected to land early in the morning of 25 December.Mars Express, Europe's first mission to Mars, has passed another challenging milestone on its way towards its final destination.
At 9:31 CET, the crucial sequence started to separate the Beagle 2 lander from Mars Express. As data from Mars Express confirm, the pyrotechnic device was fired to slowly release a loaded spring, which gently pushed Beagle 2 away from the mother spacecraft.
For the full release follow this link.
Last Update: 1 September 2019