Space missions abound with risk. The efforts that space scientists go to to
reduce the risks are enormous but they can never be reduced to zero. Mars
missions are more risky than most. Since the first attempts to send
missions to Mars, about two thirds have ended in failure. Since the idea to
have a British Mars lander was conceived, half of all attempts have met with
disaster. Beagle 2 was just another of those missions that went wrong. The
team are endeavouring to learn from their mistakes and considering how they
might do better next time.

Whilst educational targets can be evaluated, it is a challenge to balance
risks against less quantifiable cultural and inspirational benefits. In
Beagle 2's case the chance to seek signs of life on Mars was considered so
fundamental to outweigh the risks.

Apollo Space Mission 1969-72, lunar sample work; went on to become one of Europe's top space scientists, leading research projects at both Bristol and Cambridege University and is now Professor of Planetary Sciences at Open University, a post he took in 1991. Currently involved in the NASA Discovery Mission, Genesis, and European Space Agency missions to investigate meteorite erosion effects in space.

Famous for Beagle 2 mission - Britain's first interplanetarty spacecraft.

BSc & PhD degress from University of Wales & DSc from Universtity of Bristol - both Chemistry
Fellowship of the Royal Society (1993)
Fellow of the Royal Astonomical Sciety (1991)
Meteroritical Societry (1986)
Royal Geographical Societry (1993)
Member of British Mass Spectometry Society (1981)