Beagle 2 with shield in action
Beagle 2's heat resistant shield protects it from heat generated by friction with the martian atmosphere. Parachutes deploy to slow it down further, then gas-filled bags inflate to soften its landing.
Beagle 2 will land on Isidis Planitia, a large, flat sedimentary basin straddling the relatively young northern plains and ancient southern highlands, where traces of life could have been preserved.
Credit: ESA
|
