December 25, 2003 at 2:14 pm
But the historical odds of success for Beagle 2’s mission are low. Despite more than 30 missions launched to the Red Planet since the 1960s, only three landers have ever reached the Martian surface successfully.
All of these were costly American missions, unlike Beagle 2, which was put together in record time and on a shoestring budget.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3344693.stm
the men change, not the spirit! hey