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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding the Government have provided for the Beagle 2 spacecraft; and if she will make a statement on the mission. [48931] Ms Hewitt: Beagle 2 is the British-led lander that it is planned to deploy from the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiting spacecraft onto the surface of Mars at new year 2004. The overall cost of Beagle 2, not including the ground segment and instruments, is approximately £40 million, with non UK-Government contributions coming from ESA, private sponsorship and investment by a consortium of UK firms and universities. The contribution of the Government are as follows: Mars Express: £18 million over the period 1998 to 2005 (Department of Trade and Industry and Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, PPARC). Beagle 2: The Department of Trade and Industry (including the Office of Science and Technology) has committed up to £18.3 million over the period 2000 to 2003 but this sum may be defrayed by contributions from other partners and investments from the private sector. PPARC has additionally contributed £2.7 million over the period 1998 to 2003 to British universities for the provision of instruments and is currently considering a further contribution of £2.6 million for the ground segment.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

383 c849-50W;383 c847-8W; 48931

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Finance European Space Agency Space technology Spaceflight Spacecraft

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk