Editing Beagle 2 (section)

==Background==
[[File:Beagle 2 model at Liverpool Spaceport.jpg|thumb|left|Model of the ''Beagle 2'' at the [[Spaceport (Seacombe)|Spaceport]] museum in [[Seacombe]], Merseyside, depicting the spacecraft in a state similar to the way it was found in 2015]]

''Beagle 2'' was conceived by a group of British academics headed by Professor [[Colin Pillinger]] of the [[Open University]] in collaboration with the [[University of Leicester]]. The project was designed and developed by several UK academics and companies.<ref name="UK Space">{{cite news |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-led-beagle-2-lander-found-on-mars |title=UK-led Beagle 2 lander found on Mars |publisher=UK Space Agency |date=16 January 2015 |access-date=3 November 2016}}</ref> The spacecraft's name reflects its goal of searching for signs of past or present [[life on Mars]].<ref name="mission report">{{cite book|url=https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/research/src/Missions/beagle2/downloads/B2-Report.zip/view|title=Beagle 2 Mars: Mission Report|publisher=University of Leicester|year=2004|isbn=1-898489-35-1|editor-last=Sims|editor-first=M. R.}}</ref> According to Pillinger:

<blockquote>"HMS ''Beagle'' was the ship that took [Charles] Darwin on his voyage around the world in the 1830s and led to our knowledge about life on Earth making a real quantum leap. We hope ''Beagle 2'' will do the same thing for life on Mars."<ref>{{Cite web |title=200 years of HMS Beagle: Charles Darwin, Galapagos, and an enduring legacy {{!}} Royal Museums Greenwich |url=https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/curatorial/200-years-hms-beagle-charles-darwin-galapagos-enduring-legacy|access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.rmg.co.uk |language=en}}</ref></blockquote>

A {{convert|50|by|8|km|mi}} ellipse centered on {{Coord|11.53|N|90.50|E|globe:mars_type:landmark}} at [[Isidis Planitia]], an enormous, flat, [[sedimentary basin]] that overlies the boundary between the ancient highlands and the northern plains of Mars, was chosen as the landing site.<ref name="mission report"/> The lander was expected to operate for about 180 days and an extended mission of up to one [[Darian calendar|Martian year]] (687 [[Earth]] days) was thought possible. The ''Beagle 2'' lander's objectives were to characterise the landing site [[Geology of Mars|geology]], [[mineralogy]], [[geochemistry]], and [[oxidation state]] of the physical properties of the [[atmosphere of Mars|atmosphere]] and surface layers; collect data on Martian [[meteorology]] and [[Climate of Mars|climate]]; and search for [[biosignature]]s.

The principal investigator, Colin Pillinger, set up a consortium to design and build ''Beagle 2''. The principal members and their initial responsibilities were:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://beagle2.open.ac.uk/resources/resources3a.htm |title=Industry |publisher=Open University |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031220205124/http://beagle2.open.ac.uk/resources/resources3a.htm |archive-date=20 December 2003}}</ref>
*[[Open University]] – Consortium leader & scientific experiments
*[[University of Leicester]] – Project management, Mission management, Flight Operations Team, instrument management, and scientific experiments[[File:Colin Pillinger.jpg|thumb|[[Colin Pillinger]], leader of the ''Beagle 2'' project, pictured in 2009]]
*[[Astrium]] – Main industrial partner
*[[Martin-Baker]] – Entry, descent and landing system
*[[Logica]] – Cruise, entry, descent and landing software
*[[SCISYS]] – [[Ground segment]] and lander software
*[[University of Wales, Aberystwyth]] – Robotic arm
*[[McLaren Applied Technologies]] - composite materials for the solar panels<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/16919/mclaren-nears-mars/ |title=McLaren nears Mars |work=GPUpdate.net |date=22 December 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104012308/http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/16919/mclaren-nears-mars/ |archive-date=4 November 2016}}</ref>

[[Astrium]] took over responsibility for program management, and Leicester assumed responsibility for mission management which involved the preparations for the operations post launch and the operations control centre.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Government support for Beagle 2 |url=http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=34795}}</ref>

In an effort to publicise the project and gain financial support, its designers sought and received the endorsement and participation of British artists.  The mission's call-sign was composed by the band [[Blur (band)|Blur]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=In Depth {{!}} Beagle 2 |url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/beagle-2/in-depth |access-date=2022-07-28 |website=NASA Solar System Exploration |archive-date=8 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508192843/https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/beagle-2/in-depth/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the 'test card' (Calibration Target Plate) intended for calibrating ''Beagle 2''{{'s}} cameras and spectrometers after landing was painted by [[Damien Hirst]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien spotting : Damien Hirst's Beagle 2 Mars Lander calibration target and the exploitation of outer space |url=https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/69403/13/Weddigen%202012%20Hirst.pdf |archive-url=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2002-11-29 |title=Hirst art heads to Mars |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2522417.stm |access-date=2024-11-07 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The Lander Operations Control Center (LOCC), from which the spacecraft was to be controlled, was located at the [[National Space Centre]] in [[Leicester]] and was visible to the public visiting the centre. The control centre included operational systems for controlling ''Beagle 2'', analysis tools for processing engineering and scientific telemetry, virtual reality tools for preparing activity sequences, communications systems, and the Ground Test Model (GTM). The GTM was composed of builds of the ''Beagle 2'' systems, collected together to provide a full set of lander electronics. The GTM was used nearly continuously to validate the engineering and science commands, rehearse the landing sequence, and validate the onboard software.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spacecentre.co.uk/space-now/457-beagle-2 |title=The Beagle has Landed! |publisher=UK National Space Centre |date=15 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226185324/http://www.spacecentre.co.uk/space-now/457-beagle-2 |archive-date=26 December 2015}}</ref>

===Funding===
{{blockquote|The Beagle 2 lander was funded through a partnership arrangement involving the Open University, EADS-Astrium, the DTI, the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), the Office of Science and Technology and ESA. Funding also came from the National Space Science Centre and the Wellcome Foundation. UK principal investigators for Beagle 2 came from the Open University (gas analysis package), Leicester University (environmental sensors and x-ray spectrometer) and Mullard Space Science Laboratory (imaging systems).|ESA<ref name="esa.int">{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Mars_Express/UK_and_ESA_announce_Beagle_2_inquiry |title=UK and ESA announce Beagle 2 inquiry |publisher=European Space Agency |date=11 February 2004}}</ref>}}

The budget is secret but was estimated to be between {{GBP|30 and 50 million}} in 2004, which at then-currency exchange rates would be about {{€|43-71 million}} or {{US$|54-89 million}}.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spacedaily.com/news/beagle2-04e.html |title=Beagle 2 Mars Lander Doomed From The Start |work=Space Daily |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=23 May 2004}}</ref> ''[[New Scientist]]'' magazine reported a budget of {{GBP|40 million}} for ''Beagle 2'',<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4514-beagle-2-misses-first-call-home/ |title=Beagle 2 misses first call home |work=New Scientist |first=Hazel |last=Muir |date=25 December 2003}}</ref> and another outlet said {{GBP|50 million}}.<ref name="theguardian.com"/> Some of the work is known to have been donated or done at-cost.<ref name="theguardian.com"/>