[X] My Assistant

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3591748.stm

The investigation looked at possible technical reasons for the loss of the probe and the lessons learnt which might benefit any future missions.

The team maintains its belief that a thinner than expected atmosphere may have thwarted a controlled landing.

[Guest_BruceMoomaw_*]

Well, to quote Oliver Morton's Mars blog ( http://mainlymartian.blogs.com/semijournal..._.html#comments ):

"Colin also said that he’d written to NASA about the possibility of flying a Beagle package as part of the 2009 mission. He painted a sweet picture of the MSL scurrying around picking up samples and bringing them back to little Beagle for consideration. However, it’s very hard to believe that Colin really believes this is plausible, and there’s no reason at all why any of the rest of us should -- despite the fact that this, to judge by the mood of the media at the meeting, will be the idea that gets picked up in the papers."

It was.