SCIENTISTS from Swindon have not given up hope of hearing the Beagle 2 Mars probe bark once again.

The probe was successfully ejected from its mother ship, Mars Express, on Christmas Day.

But scientists and engineers are still awaiting confirmation that it has actually landed on the Red Planet and that, as is hoped, its transmitter has only temporarily failed.

Tomorrow they will discover the fate of the spacecraft when Mars Express flies directly over the landing site.

This will allow scientists the best chance yet of establishing a link with the stricken probe, which seems to have landed in a crater on the surface of Mars.

For those working at the North Star Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, which helped to fund the £5.5 billion project, it is an anxious time.

The Council spokesman Peter Barratt, said: "Wednes-day is the best opportunity we're going to have to be able to communicate with Mars Express and I'm confident we'll get a signal.

"It's been an incredible achievement to get to Mars, but having said that, the engineers and scientists involved have produced a highly innovative and technological package

"Has Beagle 2 landed in a crater? I don't believe we can be that accurate.

"There is a crater in our landing area, but the chances of the probe landing in it are quite remote.

"Around 12.15pm on Wednesday, Mars Express will fly directly over the Beagle 2 landing site.

"That will be the first of several opportunities to establish a link, but it all depends on the state Beagle 2 is in and whether the transmitter is working and that's a big question mark.

"Let's hope Beagle 2 barks once again."

Meanwhile, somewhat rubbing salt into the wound, NASA's rover has successfully landed on Mars.

Mars Express was launched from a base in Kazakhstan in June.

Since then it has travelled 250 million miles into space and the European Space Agency is running the project.

Mars Express will remain in orbit around Mars for around 687 days.

During this time it will be collecting images of the surface and collating information about the atmosphere surrounding the Red Planet.

But it is Beagle 2 that was to have collected information about the general Martian landscape.

That would have determined the geological and mineral composition of the landing site, as well as searching for any signs of life and studying the weather and climate.

After Wednesday there will be three chances for Mars Express to receive a signal from the missing Beagle 2.

But any failure by Mars Express to make contact with the Beagle could spell the end of the mission.

l There is still a chance of a possible Beagle 3 mission to Mars.

Mr Barratt said: "The science minister Lord Sainsbury has stated serious consideration should be given to a follow-on mission and PPARC goes along with that.

"Any project would ultimately have to go through the research council for a decision."

Giles Sheldrick