Meteorites, Mars and Beagle 2--from novel analysis in the laboratory to pioneering experiments in space.
On 25 December 2003, the British-built Beagle 2 probe will land on the surface of Mars to carry out one of the most potentially important pieces of analytical science ever conceived: to search for evidence of extra terrestrial life. Dr Ian Wright of the Open University talks us through the difficulties of performing measurements in such a harsh environment.
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Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK MK7 6AA.