Development of the “planetary underground tool” subsurface soil sampler for the Mars express “Beagle 2” lander

On the “Beagle 2” Mars lander for ESA's mission Mars Express, a self-penetrating mechanical Mole for sampling of subsarface soil from a maximum depth of 1…1.5 m will be utilized to supply samples to a Gas Analysis Experiment which are thought to have been protected from oxidizing conditions at the immediate surface and thus may have preserved organic matter from meteorite influx and possibly from earlier microbial life on the planet. The design, operations scheme and technical heritage of the Mole sampling system are described.