Editing Colin Pillinger (section)

===''Beagle 2''===
[[File:Beagle 2 replica.jpg|thumb|Replica of ''[[Beagle 2]]'' in the [[London Science Museum]].]]
Pillinger was the [[principal investigator]] for ''[[Beagle 2]]'' Mars lander project, part of [[European Space Agency]]'s (ESA) 2003 ''[[Mars Express]]'' mission. Initially considered a failure, it has since come to light that the space craft did successfully touch down on the surface of Mars. The UK Space Agency on 16 January 2015 indicated that ''Beagle 2'' had indeed reached the surface of Mars on 25 December 2003, but had failed to deploy fully.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-led-beagle-2-lander-found-on-mars |title=Beagle 2 successfully landed on Mars on 25th December 2003 |publisher=UKSA |date=16 January 2015 |access-date=16 January 2015}}</ref> Images taken by the HiRISE camera on NASA's ''[[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]]'' (MRO) identified clear evidence for the lander and convincing evidence for key entry and descent components on the surface of Mars within the expected landing area of Isidis Planitia (an impact basin close to the equator).

Recent{{Vague|date=October 2021}} research into photographs taken of the landing site by a Mars orbiter suggest that as many as three of the four solar panels may have been successfully opened.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} As the transmitter was underneath the fourth panel, the lander failed to communicate back to Earth.

When the lander was first considered 'lost' a number of possible explanations were given by [[David Southwood]], ESA's director of Science. The commission inquiring into the mission's apparent failure also apportioned blame towards Pillinger's management of the overall project as a contributing factor.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3741989.stm | work=BBC News | title=Beagle mission 'poorly managed' | date=24 May 2004}}</ref> In response, in his autobiography, Professor Pillinger highlighted a lack of support from key figures at ESA as a factor.

It was Pillinger's wife who thought of the ''Beagle 2'' name for the project, based on [[Charles Darwin]]'s ship {{HMS|Beagle}}.<ref name="DIDiscs CP"/>

Pillinger enlisted British rock band [[Blur (band)|Blur]] to write a song to be ''Beagle 2''{{'}}s call sign back home. It was to be broadcast as soon as ''Beagle 2'' began work on the surface of Mars. He also persuaded the artist [[Damien Hirst]] to provide a spot painting to use in calibrating the spacecraft's camera.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/may/08/beagle-2-scientist-colin-pillinger-dies Beagle 2 scientist Colin Pillinger dies aged 70, ''The Guardian Online'' (8 May 2014)] (accessed 12 May 2014)</ref>

In 2014, a science destination for the Mars rover ''[[Opportunity rover|Opportunity]]'' on the western rim of [[Endeavour crater|Endeavour Crater]] was named ''Pillinger Point'' after Colin Pillinger, in commemoration of his enthusiasm for the ''Beagle 2'' mission.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-201|title=Aluminum-Bearing Site on Mars Draws NASA Visitor|publisher=NASA|date=24 June 2014|access-date=1 July 2014}}</ref>