Facts About Europe’s Mars Mission

Facts about the Beagle 2 Mars lander and the Mars Express orbiter, the two spacecraft in Europe’s first mission to seeks signs of life on the planet:

-EXPERIMENTS: Beagle has a robotic arm to take soil and rock samples, including a grinder to clean weathered surfaces and a drill to probe inside rocks. Also can heat samples and detect carbon dioxide. Two stereo cameras to provide 3-D image of surroundings. Other equipment will analyze composition of rocks, a range of sensors will detect Martian weather.

The high-resolution camera of Mars Express will map the planet’s surface and mineral composition. Powerful radar to look for signs of underground water. Data relay for Beagle.

-SIZE AND WEIGHT: Without heat shield and outer shell for entry into Martian atmosphere, Beagle 2 is about 26 inches across – the size of an average bicycle wheel. With solar panels unfurled, it expands to about 75 inches. Weighs 143 pounds.

The longest side of the boxlike Mars Express is 5.9 feet. It has two wing-like solar panels. Weighs some 249 pounds.

-PROJECT COST: Europe’s first Mars mission cost $370 million, considered relatively cheap.

-DURATION: Mars Express is expected to orbit for at least a Martian year, or 687 Earth days.