Science fact is included in our sci-fi weekend and we are happy to announce that Professor Colin Pillinger will join us on Saturday morning to talk about the Beagle 2 project.

Professor Colin Pillinger is a man with a mission… a mission to Mars! He's come a long way, but still has a mammoth journey ahead of him. BBC cameras have followed his story for over two years for a film, Beagle 2: Mission to Mars to be shown at 10.30am on 02-02-02.

Colin Pillinger, one of the world's leading planetary scientists, is based at the Open University in Milton Keynes. In 1997 he heard about European Space Agency (ESA) plans to send a space craft - Mars Express - to the red planet, leaving Earth in June 2003. Pillinger had a fantastic idea - to hitch a 250 million-mile-lift on Mars Express for a small lander which could be launched onto the planet.
Once there it would conduct a series of pioneering experiments to look for evidence of life. This is the most important space project originating in Britain for decades and, if successful, will go down in history.

Beagle 2: Mission to Mars reveals how a massive science project, such as this, comes to fruition.

Narrated by Keith Allen, the programme reveals the trials and tribulations of Beagle 2 as the BBC follows the team's progress as they strive to advance science and develop the ground-breaking technology which will enable them to realise their mission.

The presentation is followed by a talk on the project and a Q&A session with Colin.

020 7734 2255 for FREE TICKETS!

Images 'All Rights Reserved Beagle 2'

For more info on the project, check out Beagle 2's excellent website at http://beagle2.open.ac.uk