TORONTO, December 19, 2003 -- Professor Brendan Quine of York University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy can provide expert commentary on the Beagle2 lander, scheduled to reach the Mars surface Christmas day.
Quine is attending an event in the U.K. today for the spin-up and ejection of the Beagle2 lander from the Mars Express spacecraft. The event is hosted by Lord David Sainsbury of Turville, U.K. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation.
The Beagle2 project is the British-led effort to land on Mars as part of the European Space Agency's Mars Express Mission, launched in June 2003.
Quine is involved in the development of a number of Canadian space instruments to observe the Earth and other planetary systems. Quine can be reached in the U.K. for interviews at 011 44 1227 457355 (until Dec. 29), and thereafter at 416-736-2100, ext. 33483, 416-523-3778 / bquine@yorku.ca.
Additional York experts on missions to Mars: (**Please note that most of our experts have expressed that they are not available for interviews on Christmas Day.)
York University is playing a leading role in the "Phoenix" Mars Mission scheduled for 2007. See media release at: http://www.yorku.ca/mediar/archive/Release.asp?Release=222.
Allan Carswell, a York University Space scientist and Chairman of Optech Incorporated, is leading a Canadian team of researchers in the U.S.-led Phoenix Mars mission. Optech Incorporated and MD Robotics will provide laser radar (lidar) technology to the Scout mission, a sophisticated instrumentation package developed by Canadian scientists and engineers to study the Martian atmosphere. 416-661-5904, 905-889-0290 / allan@optech.on.ca. (Best reached by email.)
Diane Michelangeli, a professor in York’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and a member of the Phoenix Canadian science team, will develop computer models of the atmosphere of Mars that will be used for mission planning, as well as data analysis once the mission is in operation. 416-736-2100, ext. 77713, 416-248-4064, cell: 647-287-1171 / dvm@yorku.ca.
John Caldwell, a professor in York’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, has researched observations made with the Hubble Space Telescope and can comment on the Mars atmosphere. 416-736-2100, ext. 77721, 416-745-0234 / caldwell@nereid.sal.phys.yorku.ca. (Not available Christmas day onwards.)
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For more information, please contact:
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Ken Turriff |
David Fuller |
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