SPACE.com -- Beagle 2 Systems Test Delayed

An illustration of Beagle 2 with its Position Adjustable Workbench (PAW) extended after landing. The lander will search for evidence of life on Mars as part of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express. Click to enlarge.

A breakdown of how Mars Express fits together. The Beagle 2 can be seen sitting on the lid of the craft and the main communications antenna is visible in the lower left. The orbiter carries seven instruments including MARSIS, a low-frequency radar designed to probe the subsurface of Mars for water. Click to enlarge.

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	Beagle 2 Systems Test Delayed By Tariq Malik Staff Writer posted: 04:46 pm ET 23 June 2003

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European researchers hit a signal snag during an instrument test on Mars Express last week, delaying a systems check of the spacecraft's Beagle 2 lander.

Controllers of the European Space Agency (ESA) probe were reportedly running a test on one of the spacecraft's seven instruments when they received an unexpected signal just before a scheduled systems checkout of Beagle 2.

"They got a signal that they didn't understand and unfortunately our instrument was up next in line," said Beagle 2 principal investigator Colin Pillinger, adding that the problem was considered routine. "So we've moved our check-out to a back-up date."

Pillinger told SPACE.com that the delay hasn't affected Beagle 2 in any way, and another checkout has already scheduled for sometime in the week of June 30. Both Mars Express and the Beagle 2 lander were launched on June 2.

According to Everett Gibson, a space scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center, the unexpected signal emanated from a German-manufactured instrument aboard Mars Express. Gibson, the sole U.S. scientist on the Beagle 2 project, said the problem has simply put the Beagle 2 at the bottom of the systems check line.

"Everything else has gone just fine," Pillinger said, adding that Beagle 2 successfully fired explosive bolts that will allow it to separate from Mars Express when the time comes to land. "We do have to do a communications check, but everyone has to do that."

ESA officials expect Mars Express to arrive at the Red Planet sometime in December. Two NASA rovers, dubbed Spirit - which launched June 10 - and Opportunity, should also arrive at Mars in January followed by the Japan's troubled Nozomi probe later that month.

While Mars Express uses its seven onboard instruments to study the Martian atmosphere and search for evidence of water, Beagle 2 will search for evidence of life -- past or present -- on the Red Planet.

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