Alan,

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 09:16:35 -0000, Alan B. Pearce wrote:

> The
> rumour that I get within the lab is that the original design of airbags
> failed in the test drop, and so another airbag was designed, but never
> tested. also as a result of the extra weight incurred in the redesigned
> airbags, some 3kg had to be lost else where on Beagle2.

Right - I saw this on the television programme following the project.  Everyone said there was no way to lose
3kg without losing a whole instrument, but I believe they found a way by little reductions all over the craft.
What a tragedy that all that work seems to have been in vain!

I was rather surprised that they got a long way into the project before they tested the airbags - I'd have
thought they would have calculated the strength needed first, so the test would have been just a confirmation,
not likely to produce a catastrophic failure.  The impression was that they did a "build it and see", but I
could be wrong.  As for "never testing" the new airbags, I'm amazed if that's what happened.  The chances of
failure in use, given the originals' failure, should have been sounding alarm bells along the lines of "don't
go", but I suppose time and the availability of a launch meant that they had to go, even at the risk of losing
the craft.  A great shame, anyway.

I wonder if there are any orbiting craft that can photograph the landing site with enough resolution to find
it?

I see you're at Rutherford Appleton - was anyone there involved?

Cheers,

Howard Winter
St.Albans, England

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