COORDINATION OF MARS EXPRESS AND BEAGLE 2 SCIENCE OPERATIONS

摘要

The Mars Express orbiter carrying the Beagle 2 lander will arrive at Mars in late 2003. Both spacecraft carry instruments designed to investigate the Martian atmosphere, surface and subsurface. The evaluation of science data from both the Mars Express orbiter and the Beagle 2 lander will benefit from a coordination of the measurements done by orbiter and lander instruments. Data acquired by both the orbiter and the lander during the early mission should be used for the refinement of the science operations planning in order to optimise the scientific return. The basic operations planning strategies for both spacecraft are recapitulated, and the approach for coordinating the science operations of orbiter and lander is explained. The relevant requirements and constraints are discussed, and the expected benefits and results of coordinated operations are highlighted.