DARMSTADT, Germany, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Attempts Wednesday to contact the Mars probe Beagle 2 failed, dashing hopes the craft survived its harrowing landing on the red planet Christmas Day.
The effort to detect the British Beagle lander's signal was made by the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter, which scientists said they considered perhaps the last and best hope of locating the missing lander, the BBC reported.
The European orbiter picked up no signal as it passed over the presumed landing site at about 7:15 a.m. EST, Mars Express mission controllers in Germany said.
"We did not get any content of a signal or indeed a signal from the surface of Mars," said David Southwood, head of science at the European Space Agency.
"This is not the end of the story. We have many more shots to play," Southwood said. "But I have to say, this is a setback. I have to say it makes me very sad."
