"Europe lands on Mars" -- Media event at ESA/ESOC (Forwarded)

European Space Agency
Press Release No. 79-2003
Paris, France 25 November 2003

"Europe lands on Mars" -- Media event at ESA/ESOC

ESA Mars Express probe is scheduled to arrive at Mars at Christmas: the Beagle 2
lander is expected to touch down on the surface of the Red Planet during the
night of 24 to 25 December.

Launched on 2 June 2003 from Baikonur (Kazakhstan) on board a Russian Soyuz
operated by Starsem, the European probe -- built for ESA by a European team of
industrial companies led by Astrium -- carries seven scientific instruments that
will perform a series of remote-sensing experiments designed to shed new light
on the Martian atmosphere, the planet's structure and its geology. In
particular, the British-made Beagle 2 lander will contribute to the search for
traces of life on Mars through exobiology experiments and geochemistry research.

On board Mars Express tests have been run to check that the instruments are
functioning correctly. Mars Express has successfully come through its first
power test on the whole spacecraft after the gigantic solar flare on 28 October.
Since 17 November the onboard software has been 'frozen' after several updates
and the spacecraft is now quietly proceeding to its destination.

Before even entering into Martian orbit to perform its mission, Mars Express has
to face another challenge: safely delivering the Beagle 2 lander to its
destination. This task, starting on 19 December, will not be without risk.

First of all, to deliver the lander where planned, Mars Express has been put on
a collision course with Mars, since Beagle 2 does not have a propulsion system
of its own and must therefore be 'carried' precisely to its destination. This
means that after separation, Mars Express has to veer away quickly to avoid
crashing onto the planet.

During the cruise Beagle 2 will take its power from the mother spacecraft, Mars
Express. After separation and until its solar arrays are fully deployed on the
surface, Beagle 2 must rely on its own battery, which cannot last beyond 6 days.
So, like a caring parent, Mars Express must release Beagle 2 at the last
possible moment to ensure that the lander has enough power for the rest of its
journey to the surface.

Only then can Mars Express change its orientation and rapidly fire the thrusters
to get away from the collision course and enter into orbit around Mars. This
will be the first time that an orbiter delivers a lander without its own
propulsion onto a planet and attempts orbit insertion immediately afterwards.

Since all these manoeuvres are time-critical and allow little margin of error,
the ground control team has had to simulate all possible scenarios (including
glitches and problems, on board and on the ground) to make sure that nothing is
left to chance.

The team has been training since September in a very realistic setting, using
the same computers and equipment that will be employed during this mission
phase. Although the real spacecraft cannot be directly involved, its behaviour
is simulated via a sophisticated computer programme, using the actual flight
software. These rehearsals, each lasting a day or more, cover all possible
situations from the failure of an onboard instrument to the outbreak of a fire
in the control room. One of these simulations will take place during the press
conference on 3 December.

ESA's ground control team at ESOC, on the other hand, are having a very busy
time. They are actively rehearsing responses to any situation that might arise
when Mars Express releases Beagle 2 and enters into orbit around Mars. "The Mars
Express mission is pushing the operations staff to extremes. Over the years, the
experience acquired with experimental missions has provided a solid basis on
which to prepare for the unexpected. The satellite controllers will rise to this
new challenge", Gaele Winters, ESA Director of Technical and Operational
Support, said.

Four media events have been scheduled relating to the arrival of Mars Express at
its destination (see our press release No. 74-2003). The next event is scheduled
on Wednesday 3 December at ESA/ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany and will possibly
include the presentation of the first HRSC image and further information about
scientific expectations of the mission. Several Principal Investigators will
present their instruments and early results of testing and operations (see
programme attached).

A videoconference of this ESA media briefing will be organised at
ESA/Headquarters, Paris (F), ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk (NL) and ESA/ESRIN, Frascati
(I). Media wishing to attend are asked to complete the attached reply form and
fax it to the Communication Office at the establishment of their choice. [NOTE:
Not attached. - A.Y.]

Throughout December you can follow daily the countdown to arrival at Mars on the
web at:
http://mars.esa.int

Here you will find live streaming of key events, news, features, images, videos
and more.

For further information, please contact:

ESA Media Relations Service
Tel: +33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690


"Europe lands on Mars"

Press Programme

10:30 Welcome by Gaele Winters, ESA Director of Technical &
Operational Support
Mars Express flight operations: a great challenge for
an experienced team

10:40 Dr Rudolf Schmidt, Mars Express Project Manager
Global mission objectives : Why is Europe flying to Mars?

10:50 Mr Michael McKay, Flight Operations Director
Status of the spacecraft, latest and upcoming manoeuvres

11:00 Question & Answer session for the "operations" part

11:10 Dr Augustin Chicarro, Mars Express Project Scientist
The mission's key scientific objectives: an introduction

11:20 Prof. Gerhard Neukum, Principal Investigator
Free University of Berlin (D)
The high-resolution stereo camera HRSC, on board the
orbiter, takes a sharp look at Mars

11:30 Dr Martin Pätzold, Principal Investigator
University of Cologne, Institute for Geophysics and
Meteorology (D)
Preparing for Mars with MaRS (Mars Radio Science experiment)

11:40 Prof. Colin Pillinger, Principal Investigator
Planetary Sciences Research Institute (UK)
Beagle 2 landing on Mars: its instruments and scientific
objectives

11:50 Dr Lutz Richter, Co-Principal Investigator
German Aerospace Center DLR, Cologne (D)
The operations of the "Mole" instrument on board Beagle-2

12:00 Question & Answer session on "science" and the mission as
a whole

12:10 Conclusions by Gaele Winters

12:15 Filming opportunities at the ESOC Main Control Room, MCR

12:30-12:45 Opportunity for individual interviews with scientific
and operations experts


Europe goes to Mars
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/index.html

Related links

* Reply form
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM25HXLDMD_index_0.html
* Beagle 2 lander homepage
http://www.beagle2.com

Related articles

* Are you ready for Mars?
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMTERWLDMD_index_0.html

IMAGE CAPTION:

[Image 1:
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMB..._index_1.html]
Mars Express will be the first flexible mission in the revised ESA long-term
scientific programme and is planned to be launched towards Mars in June 2003
with a Soyouz/Fregat launcher. The spacecraft will carry a remote observation
payload, as well as a lander communications package to support Mars lander
mission from 2003 to 2007.

Credits: ESA/Denman productions

[Image 2:
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMB...html#subhead1]
Beagle 2 lander leaving the Mars Express orbiter.

Credits: ESA 2001. Illustration by Medialab.

[Image 3:
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMB...html#subhead2]
ESA's ground control team are actively rehearsing responses to various situations.

Credits: ESA