A faulty component has set back the launch date for Europe鈥檚 first ever solo mission to Mars, but project scientists say the delay could in fact be advantageous.
The Mars Express spacecraft was scheduled to launch on 23 May from the Baikonur in Kazakhstan. The repair now means the spacecraft is unlikely to take off before 6 June. The launch window extends until 23 June.
Replacing the unnamed component is 鈥渘ot a big deal鈥� says mission scientist, Agustin Chicarro. 鈥淏ut the whole spacecraft needs to be reopened and that takes time,鈥� he told New Scientist. Obtaining the new part, installing it and reconstructing will take around 10 days.
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But project scientists are not disappointed by the delay. Changes in the relative position of the Earth and Mars during the delay means Mars Express can carry a heavier load, in particular more fuel for its engines.
鈥淎ctually, we prefer it,鈥� Chicarro says. 鈥淚t translates into better science operations because we can reach better orbits.鈥�
Subsurface water
The spacecraft, which will soon be shipped to Baikonur, will observe Mars from orbit, as well as deploying a British-built lander called Beagle 2. The probe and its passenger will arrive at Mars in December 2003.
Seven instruments aboard the spacecraft will monitor the planet鈥檚 atmosphere, geology and search for signs of subsurface water. Upon landing, Beagle 2 will deploy a robotic arm to take surface samples and search for signs of life. In 2002, NASA鈥檚 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, which is orbiting the Red Planet, found evidence that frozen water exists at both of the planet鈥檚 North and South Poles. The discovery boosted hopes of finding evidence that life once existed on the planet鈥檚 surface.