thumb|Diagram of the proposed Beagle 3
Beagle 3 (also called Beagle 2: Evolution) was a proposed Mars lander mission to search for life on Mars, past or present. Beagle 3 was the proposed successor to the failed British Beagle 2 Mars lander, with which communication was lost. Beagle 3 was promoted by Professor Colin Pillinger, lead scientist on the Beagle 2. EADS Astrium also played a part in funding and early development of the project. Pillinger dreamed of launching up to two landing craft from an orbiter in 2009 as part of the European Space Agency's Aurora Programme. The putative Beagle 3 would be named after the ship HMS Beagle that took Charles Darwin around the world.
After the Beagle 3 project was rejected by ESA in 2004, Pillinger proposed to the NASA to hitch a ride on the Mars Science Laboratory Mars lander, but the proposal was not accepted.
One of the goals of Beagle 3 was to support the ESA Aurora programme if chosen.
Proposed payload
- Advanced solar cell technology, meaning two disc-shaped solar arrays (as opposed to the previous four) When the Beagle 2 leader tried to raise money for Beagle 3, the EDL system used on Beagle 2 was an unknown.