A little bit of Chelmsford is looking like its lost in space for eternity.

Frontiers of science solar panels and optical devices designed and built in Chelmsford are still not revealing life secrets about the planet Mars after continuing silence from the much hyped Beagle-2 mission.

Waterhouse Lane - based E2V Technologies' predecessor, Marconi Applied Technologies made key components for the British Beagle module which landed on the Red Planet from the European Space Agency Mars Express rocket on Christmas Day, after more than a year's journey.

It has not been heard from since and a bid to pinpoint failed.

Radio silence is now being kept until January 22 when the lander if it is still functioning is programmed to send out signals automatically.

The aim was to sample the planet surface for signs of lifeforms similar to those that could survive on earth.

Theories of the failure so far include damage on landing or that the Beagle-named after Darwin's exploration ship which delved into life on earth 170 years ago-is in a crater blocking radio signals.

E2V's solar panels are meant to power up on-board gear which will sample the harsh planetary conditions.

Charge-coupled devices also made in Chelmsford were used in image intensifiers - to register crystal clear pictures from the delicately built all-British lander.

A spokeswoman for E2V Technologies said they still hoped the £35million mission will succeed.

"The company has more equipment to go into space this spring and has contributed to successful missions with the European, NASA and Japanese space agencies," she said

Statistically more than half all missions to Mars fail.

Published Tuesday January 13, 2004

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