Q and A: Colin Pillinger

Published on Tuesday 27 May 2008 22:41

The professor of planetary sciences – renowned for leading the team that sent the ill-fated Beagle 2 exploration spacecraft to the Red Planet – gives his opinion on Nasa's latest project, the landing of the Phoenix craft on Mars.

What do scientists hope to achieve from the probe on Mars?

Scientists will analyse samples to confirm that water exists. They believed that water would exist because of previous pictures, but there is nothing like getting on the ground and making a measurement. They will analyse soil samples, heat them up and as they decompose they'll know from the temperature if it's water.

How crucial is this latest mission in the field of space exploration?

This is a mission that is another step in answering important questions about Mars. Those involved in this mission can be hugely excited.

How difficult was this mission and what were the chances of successfully landing on the Red planet?

Sixty-four per cent of all missions to Mars have failed to send data. It's very difficult to go into orbit around Mars and extremely difficult to land. If you get the entry angle wrong, you bounce off the atmosphere. With Beagle 2 we didn't know how bad the conditions were.

What did you think of the media coverage of the Phoenix spacecraft?

The media was spellbound … as they are with everything to do with Mars. I did 27 press interviews on Monday, so the media definitely wants to know about it.

What's next?

Nasa has a mission to Mars every 26 months. The work they're doing is cumulative. Each mission works on the basis of what they have learned before. We are moving forward one step at a time. It is a major step.

How important is it if they confirm water was on Mars?

Water is an essential ingredient for life. Without water there can't be life. We have to find out whether life has gone on on Mars and whether it still goes on.