Mars Express !!exclusive!! -

A poignant chapter in the mission’s history is the failed Beagle 2 lander. For over a decade, the fate of the lander was a mystery. In 2015, ’s HRSC imaged the landing site in Isidis Planitia. The images revealed that Beagle 2 had actually landed successfully but failed to fully deploy its solar panels, blocking its communications antenna. While tragic, this discovery provided closure and highlighted the orbiter’s ability to serve as a search-and-recovery tool for other missions.