This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37707776
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
No signal from European Schiaparelli Mars lander | No signal from European Schiaparelli Mars lander |
(35 minutes later) | |
The European Space Agency is still waiting for confirmation that its Schiaparelli probe has landed on Mars. | The European Space Agency is still waiting for confirmation that its Schiaparelli probe has landed on Mars. |
The saucer-shaped robot was supposed to have touched down on the Red Planet just before 1500 GMT (1600 BST). | The saucer-shaped robot was supposed to have touched down on the Red Planet just before 1500 GMT (1600 BST). |
A radio transmission that should have allowed scientists to follow the probe to the surface was not received. | A radio transmission that should have allowed scientists to follow the probe to the surface was not received. |
Controllers hope that satellites in orbit at Mars will have detected it and will shortly be able to confirm that the probe got down safely. | Controllers hope that satellites in orbit at Mars will have detected it and will shortly be able to confirm that the probe got down safely. |
Landing on Mars is always a daunting prospect. | Landing on Mars is always a daunting prospect. |
It is a high-speed approach that has to be got just right or the spacecraft runs the risk of crashing into the ground. | It is a high-speed approach that has to be got just right or the spacecraft runs the risk of crashing into the ground. |
Schiaparelli had a heatshield, a parachute and rocket thrusters to try to get itself to the surface intact. | Schiaparelli had a heatshield, a parachute and rocket thrusters to try to get itself to the surface intact. |
The European Space Agency will not be rushed to judgement on whether this mission has been a success or a failure. | The European Space Agency will not be rushed to judgement on whether this mission has been a success or a failure. |
It will wait on the reports of the satellites. Both European and American orbiters were tasked with tracking the event. | |
If Schiaparelli is later confirmed as down and safe, it will spend the next few days making measurements of the Martian environment and current weather conditions - at least until its batteries run out. | If Schiaparelli is later confirmed as down and safe, it will spend the next few days making measurements of the Martian environment and current weather conditions - at least until its batteries run out. |
The science return may seem limited, but the probe was largely conceived as a technology demonstrator - a project to give Esa scientists and engineers the confidence to try to land a more ambitious six-wheeled rover on Mars in 2021. | The science return may seem limited, but the probe was largely conceived as a technology demonstrator - a project to give Esa scientists and engineers the confidence to try to land a more ambitious six-wheeled rover on Mars in 2021. |
This future vehicle will drill below the surface of the planet in a number of locations to search for the presence of microbial organisms. | This future vehicle will drill below the surface of the planet in a number of locations to search for the presence of microbial organisms. |
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos |