BRITAIN: Hopes are fading for Beagle 2, the British space probe that was due to touch down on Mars early on Christmas Day, writes Ian Sample in London
Efforts to detect the probe's radio signal, which would indicate the Beagle had landed safely, have so far drawn a blank.
The probe hitched a ride aboard the European Space Agency's Mars Express craft for the journey to Mars, where it was to hunt for signs of past or present life and study the Martian atmosphere and geology. It was due to land at 2.54 a.m. on Christmas morning.
Beagle 2 was due to make contact for the first time shortly after 6 a.m. on Christmas Day when Nasa's Mars Odyssey probe, which has been orbiting the red planet since 2001, flew over its intended landing site. But the Nasa orbiter found no sign of the Beagle.
Later on Christmas Day, scientists at the giant Jodrell Bank radio telescope in Cheshire turned the huge dish towards Mars in the hope of detecting Beagle's call sign, a signal no stronger than a mobile phone's. They also heard nothing.
Attempts to find Beagle 2 continued yesterday. At 6.15 p.m., Nasa's Mars Odyssey made another pass over Isidis Planitia, an area just north of the Martian equator where Beagle was expected to touch down.
Because Odyssey passed behind Mars and out of radio contact with Earth shortly after flying over, it was uncertain last night whether the orbiter had succeeded in finding the Beagle.
Scientists at Jodrell Bank were set to continue the search until midnight last night before resuming again later today.
Prof Colin Pillinger, the Open University scientist behind Beagle 2, said the hunt for the probe would go on for some time yet. "We're not in any way giving up yet," he said.
Beagle 2 is programmed to try to contact Mars Odyssey on 13 further occasions over the coming week before switching to an "SOS" mode, when it will attempt to call home at various times throughout the day.
Efforts to find Beagle will continue this morning, when Mars Odyssey passes once more over Beagle's landing site. Both Odyssey and Jodrell Bank will be used in the search until January 4th, when Beagle's mother ship, Mars Express, will reach a suitable orbit around the red planet to listen out for Beagle itself.
Yesterday, Prof Pillinger said it was too early to write the mission off as a failure.
"If we can contact it, we can pull this thing around," he said. - (Guardian Service)