REVEALED: The most detailed pictures of Mars EVER - including shot of lost Beagle 2 lander
SCIENTISTS have released the most detailed pictures of Mars’ surface including an image of the failed Beagle-2.
Beagle-2 landed on Mars in 2003
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) lander was sent to the Red Planet in 2003, but it was feared that it crash landed when Earth failed to receive any contact from it upon its arrival.
However, it turned out that the craft landed correctly but it was a glitch afterwards that meant it was unable to contact home.
It’s location remained a mystery for almost 12 years until it was discovered in 2015 by NASA’s Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Now, a team of University College London (UCL) scientists based in London have released the most hi-res images of the Martian surface from orbit, and one of the pictures contains the failed Beagle-2.
The Martian surface before and after SRR was applied
The team used a technique known as Super-Resolution Restoration (SRR) was used to focus on specific objects on Mars and will soon be used to identify more artefacts on the planet.
Co-author Professor Jan-Peter Muller from the UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said: “We now have the equivalent of drone-eye vision anywhere on the surface of Mars where there are enough clear repeat pictures.
The Beagle-2 can be spotted on the surface
ExoMars mission leaves Earth’s orbit heading for Mars
“It allows us to see objects in much sharper focus from orbit than ever before and the picture quality is comparable to that obtained from landers.
The Martian surface before and after SRR was applied
“As more pictures are collected, we will see increasing evidence of the kind we have only seen from the three successful rover missions to date.
“This will be a game-changer and the start of a new era in planetary exploration.”