This Echo is READ ONLY !   NO Un-Authorized Messages Please!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

European Space Agency

Press Release

Media invitation from PPARC: The science of Mars Express and Beagle 2

9 April 2003

Part 1 of 2

The countdown begins! With less than two months to go until the
launch of Mars Express - the European Space Agency's mission to
Mars - this is your opportunity to hear about the science behind the
overall mission. 

Programme
 
10.00 a.m. Registration and coffee 
10.30 a.m. Science presentations 
11.15 a.m. Q and A's 
11.45 a.m. Interviews 
12.15 p.m. Lunch 
2.00 p.m. End of briefing 
 
 
Members of the media are cordially invited to attend a pre-launch
press briefing at the Royal Society in London on Wednesday 16 April. 

Speakers

Welcome and introduction:

Professor Ian Halliday, Chief Executive Officer, Particle Physics and
Astronomy Research Council 

Mars Express Overview:

Dr Agustin Chicarro, ESA Mars Express Project Scientist

Beagle 2:

Professor Colin Pillinger, Open University, Consortium Leader for
Beagle 2 

Closing remarks 

Questions and Answers 

The Principal Investigators and Co-Investigators for all of the
instruments on the orbiter and the lander will be present and
available to answer questions and conduct interviews. 

Media Registration

To confirm your attendance please contact Gill Ormrod at the PPARC
press office by Friday 11 April.

Tel: 01793 442012 
Email: gill.ormrod{at}pparc.ac.uk

Interviews

Requests for interviews will be co-ordinated by Gill Ormrod. Advance
notification of any specific interviews would be appreciated. 

Resources

A comprehensive press pack, including images, will be available at
the briefing. There will be models of Mars Express and Beagle 2
available for photographs.

The briefing will be followed by a buffet lunch.

Venue

A location map can be found at the Royal Society website. The nearest
tube station is Piccadilly Circus.

Background
 
Mission Objectives

Recent space missions have revealed a wealth of knowledge about Mars
but have also raised many questions about the creation and evolution
of the Martian landscape. Mars Express will help to answer these
questions by mapping the Martian sub-surface, surface, atmosphere and
ionosphere from orbit and by conducting observations and experiments
on the surface. 

The Orbiter will:

    * Image the entire surface at high resolution and selected areas
      at super resolution

    * Produce a map of the mineral composition of the surface at
      100 m resolution

    * Map the composition of the atmosphere and determine its global
      circulation

    * Determine the structure of the sub-surface to a depth of a few
      kilometres

    * Determine the effect of the atmosphere on the surface 

    * Determine the interaction of the atmosphere with the solar wind 

 - Continued -

@Message posted automagically by IMTHINGS POST 1.30
---