Beagle - ILC Dover

Beagle 2 Airbags

ILC designed and manufactured the Mars Beagle 2 under contract to Astrium Limited. The probe was launched in 2003 but was not heard from again after its separation from the Mars Express spacecraft. The Beagle 2 probe was constructed in a high-risk, high-payoff program that was piggybacked on the ESA Mars Express Mission. The airbag system was derived from Mars Pathfinder and MER technologies as well as Russian lunar landing bag technology. The specialized airbag was unique because it released from the vehicle when actuated such that the probe could have unobstructed access to the surface of Mars. Extensive laboratory and full scale system testing was conducted at NASA Plumbrook and JSC to fully characterize system operation.