Plans for new Beagle trip to Mars

The team behind Beagle 2, the failed mission to land on Mars and search for life, have unveiled plans for a successor.

Professor Colin Pillinger, lead scientist on the previous venture and based at the Open University, said he wants to send two identical craft on any future mission.

Under these proposals, being described as Beagle 2: Evolution, scientists would be able to analyse the Mars atmosphere before landing.

Beagle 2 failed to make contact after it was scheduled to touch down on Christmas Day, last year and was declared "lost" following a search.