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Toby Jones stars in film about UK Mars mission
Toby Jones and Emily Watson have finished filming *Mars Express*, a feature about scientist Colin Pillinger and Britain’s Beagle 2 Mars mission. Directed by Mackenzie Crook, the film tells the story of the probe’s disappearance and the effort behind the ambitious project.
Pillinger developed Beagle 2 with his wife, Judith, while working at the Open University. The lander lost contact after reaching Mars on Christmas Day 2003 and was thought to have failed, but Nasa images revealed it on the surface in 2015, eight months after Pillinger died. The film is Crook’s first feature as a director and is expected to be released in 2027.
In short
- Toby Jones plays scientist Colin Pillinger in *Mars Express*.
- Beagle 2 was found on Mars in 2015.
- Mackenzie Crook’s first feature film is due in 2027.
Explained simply
Beagle 2 was a British spacecraft designed to land on Mars and look for signs of life. Scientist Colin Pillinger led its development at the Open University with his wife, Judith, as part of a project that drew on expertise from across Britain.
The lander reached Mars on Christmas Day 2003, but it did not send a signal back, so its fate remained uncertain. Nasa images found it on the planet’s surface in 2015, showing that it had landed but that its solar panels had not fully opened, preventing communication.
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