Pillinger gets UK money for double Beagle mission

[shuttle_rtf]

He's on a quiz show - Test the Nation - right now and said: (paraphrased):<br /><br />"I have some exciting new news on Beagle....We've already got UK Government cash to try and perswade ESA to send up two Beagles at the same time to give us a better chance of success."

 

[wvbraun]

I like Pillinger, he is a very enthusiastic guy. Hopefully they manage to get it right next time. The Beagle effort was a bit rushed it seems...

 

[lycan359]

<br />Do they know what caused the failure of the first one?

 

[JonClarke]

Not known for cetain, but the most probable is lower than expected atmiospheric pressure resulted in a failure of the parachute to deploy (this almost got Spirit too). But because there was not data link during descent we will never no (except perhaps in a century or two when people find the wreckage). <br /><br />Good luck to him, The evolved Beagle is a an even more capable lander, with a seismometer and a micro rover.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[flynn]

I'd like to see Colin Pillenger off the program, he's a great scientist but he's not a project manager of this scale. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[mikejz]

And now future news: Beagles 3 and 4 have crashed

 

[JonClarke]

Actually I would suggest that he is a good manager, the success of the planetary science institute at OU and the fact that they got Beagle 2 ready on time despite extraordinary obstracles is a tribute to it. That does not mean that that there were not management issues with the project but a lot of those were forced by factors beyond Pillinger's control. People not coming up with money when promised, project partners pulling out at crucial times, etc. beagle was such an innovative project in so many ways that the hard work but into it by the responsible team deserves another chance to fly.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Why do you say that Mike? Don't think that the experience of beagle 2 will allow them to get it right next time? Or do you hiope they will fail?<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<font color="yellow">"We've already got UK Government cash to try and perswade ESA..."</font><br /><br />Does this mean that the government shelled out for stamps and stationary for a letter writing campaign? Or funded research? Or promised funding for an actuall mission? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[siarad]

I think he's a great team leader, pulling off the almost impossible, but am not sure about project management. <br />The former is putting fire-in-the-belly & the other cooler organising.

 

[spacester]

I think when your Lead Project Scientist is hitting the road on a constant basis to drum up funding, you're putting him in a position to fail. Give him the money, let him concentrate on managing the project and not the politicians and philanthropists, and only after that can you fairly judge him. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[franson_space]

We should stop giving Mr Sideburns money and buy the Space Shuttle fleet off NASA. Launch them from Dover and put the craps up the French <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[JonClarke]

That was the problem, and several of the investigative reports highlighted the lack of secured funding as a major issue, requring diversion of resources into raising them, and delays. Several mission critical systems (parachute, airbags) were not as well tested as they could have been, as a result. <br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[flynn]

Jon Clarke<br /><br />In my original post I suggested I'd like to see him off the program, on reflection I take that back. I would however like to see him stay focused on the Scientific package and leave the politicing and money raising to someone else.<br /><br />Franson<br /><br />Buying the shuttle fleet to put the craps up the french, like the idea but perhaps we could just blow SRBs out the French end of the Chunnel? Might even push us away a bit. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Flynn<br /><br />Yes, separating the roles of scientific/technical management from operational/financial mangement is a good idea, and was one of the recommendations.<br /><br />I would not knock the French if I were you. At the recent EGU the strongest supporters of a follow up to Beagle came from French speakers. There is a strong<br />possibility that the objectives of a follow on Beagle mission with micro rovers (surface analytical science) could be combined with those of the suspended <br />Netlander program (meteorology/geophysics). <br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[flynn]

Hey, its my cultral and historical right to knock the french, take that away what have we got left.<br /><br />Seriously, not that much wrong with the French and I'm really hoping to go back to Toulouse at some point in the not too far distant future. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>