欧洲宇航局说，在火星上找到了十多年前失踪的英国建造的太空探测器。
英国宇航局星期五说，小猎犬2号探测器一部分被部署在火星表面，从而揭开了探测器失踪之谜。
英国宇航局说，探测器只有一部分被部署在火星上，这就是为什么小猎犬2号之前音信全无。探测器的所有太阳能板必须都到位，才能发出数据，并从地球接受指令。
英国宇航局说，美国航天局发射的火星勘测轨道飞行器拍摄的卫星图像提供了确凿证据。
这一发现显示， 小猎犬2号探测器2003年圣诞节成功在火星着陆，下降和着陆程序没有问题。
小猎犬2号探测器当年是由欧洲航天局的火星快车送去火星的，任务是利用寻找生命迹象的仪器，向地球发回信息。 但是探测器降落后信息全无。
推动建造这一探测器的英国行星科学家科林·皮林格去年去世，享年70岁。
The European Space Agency says a British-built space probe that disappeared more than a decade ago on Mars has been found.
The British space agency said Friday the Beagle 2 spacecraft "has been found partially deployed on the surface of the planet, ending the mystery of what happened to the mission."
The agency said the partial deployment "would explain why no signal or data was received" from the Beagle because "full deployment of all the solar panels was needed" to transmit data and receive commands from Earth.
The agency said there was "clear evidence" of the lost lander in satellite images taken by the U.S. space agency NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Officials said the find showed that "the entry, descent and landing sequence for Beagle 2 worked and the lander did successfully touch down on Mars on Christmas Day 2003."
Britain's Beagle 2 was carried to the red planet on ESA's Mars Express. The Beagle was to report back from Mars using instruments designed to help search for signs of life, but nothing was heard after it was dropped off to make its landing.
British planetary scientist Colin Pillinger who was the driving force behind the mission died last year at the age of 70.
