BEAGLE 2, THE MARS EXPRESS LANDER : EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES TESTS THE THERMAL PROTECTION MATERIALS

Responsible for all the thermal protection for the Mars Express lander, Beagle 2, under contract to Martin Baker, EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES has successfully tested the material selected for the heat shield.

Beagle 2 is part of Europe’s first mission to explore the red planet, Mars Express, which will be launched in 2003 by a Soyuz-Fregat launcher. This mission for the European Space Agency (ESA) involves two vehicles : an orbiter built by Astrium and the lander, Beagle 2 supplied by British research institutes. Carried aboard the orbiter, the lander (60 kg including 30 kg of scientific instruments) will separate several days before reaching Mars, will enter the Martian atmosphere and make and soft landing. It will then devote itself to experiments on the chemistry of Martian soil and exo-biology of the surface of the planet, seeking to find traces of existing or fossil life.

Europe’s specialist for atmospheric reentry, EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES proposed technical solutions and materials for Beagle 2 that had already proved themselves on such missions as Huygens and ARD. Norcoat (cork powder and phenolic resin) was selected as the thermal protection material. It will be applied in tiles of four different types with thickness differing from 5 to 10 mm. The objective is to resist temperatures which should reach 2000°C during the lander’s entry into the atmosphere, and to maintain the temperature inside the probe at less than 125°C at the end of the mission.

To confirm this selection, EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES has successfully test qualified the materials. Representative samples of several bonded tiles were subjected to thermal cycles in an oven to validate the anti-contamination treatment. Due to the scientific objectives of the Beagle 2 mission, these materials must present no risk of chemical or bacteriological pollution, for either the instruments aboard or the possible Martian biosphere.

The materials were then tested under conditions representing those of entry into the Martian atmosphere (CO2, with an aerothermodynamic flux of 800 kW/m² and dynamic pressure at 100 mbar). The testing was done in the thermal testing labs at EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES center near Bordeaux.

The Norcoat material, and the bonding substance perfectly complied with specifications and were declared apt for use.

EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES will deliver two heat shields to Martin Baker : a qualification model and a flight model.