Beagle2 : Scientists Await First Call From Beagle

Scientists Await First Call From Beagle
25-Dec-03 10:20 GMT
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Summary

Early this morning, the Beagle 2 spacecraft landed on the surface of Mars at the end of a 250 million mile (400 million km), six-month trek to the Red Planet. Although the first attempt to use NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter to communicate with the lander three hours later was unsuccessful, scientists and engineers are still awaiting the best Christmas present possible - the first faint signal to tell them that Beagle 2 has become only the fourth spacecraft to make a successful landing on Mars.
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Full story

"This is a bit disappointing, but it's not the end of the world", said Professor Colin Pillinger, lead scientist for the Beagle 2 project. "We still have 14 contacts with Odyssey programmed into our computer and we also have the opportunity to communicate through Mars Express after 4 January."

The next window to receive confirmation that Beagle 2 has successfully landed and survived its first night on Mars will be between 10 pm and midnight (GMT) tonight, when its simple carrier signal (rather than the tune composed by Blur) may be picked up by Jodrell Bank radio observatory in Cheshire, UK. This has a much greater chance of success because the giant telescope is able to scan the entire side of the planet facing the Earth.
(more)
http://www.beagle2.com/news/index.htm

Beagle2 Watch Site
http://www.beagle2.com/index.htm

For spacecraft.
So many have been lost in route or landing.

Part I can't figure out is that they are suggesting that it is the 'fourth' successful landing...yet NO signal? How do they know?

Also under possible explanations for lack of communication; burned up like a firecracker is not among the possible, but likely candidates...

Maybe it's just too scientific for my little liberal arts pea brain
:shrug:

We need some good news, some useful news to mankind, for a change of pace.

The US has its own Voyagers I and II to track, projects begun a quarter of a century ago. Thank god somebody had some foresight back then, to want to explore rather than destroy.