The history of Beagle 2 history goes back to 1997, when Mars was one of the hottest topics in science.A year earlier, Nasa scientists had dropped a bombshell by claiming to have found traces of fossilised bacteria in a Martian meteorite.The rock, known as ALH 84001, was said to have carried the bugs to Earth after being blown off the surface of Mars more than three billion years ago.But scientists are still not sure whether the microfossils were really from Mars or the result of Earthly contamination.The only way to be sure was to go to Mars and check the rocks and soil there.As a result, a decision was taken to include a lander on the Mars Express mission to Mars planned by the European Space Agency.

Colin Pillinger, Professor of Planetary Science at the Open University, proposed the idea of a British-built lander that would be equipped to look for signs of life.By the spring of this year, the stage was set for the historic mission.

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