National Space Centre Celebrates the Legacy of Beagle 2 with Special One-Day Event

Family activities, expert talks and commemorative plaque unveiling mark Leicester's role in Britain's pioneering Mars mission

The National Space Centre and UK Space Agency are inviting families and enthusiasts to celebrate one of the UK's most remarkable achievements in space exploration at a special Beagle 2 Celebration Day on Sunday 7 June 2026.

Included with normal admission, the day will commemorate the Beagle 2 Mars mission and the vital role Leicester played in its story, with hands-on activities, family-friendly talks, expert discussions and the unveiling of a permanent commemorative plaque.

The mission has strong links to Leicester with the National Space Centre being home to the Beagle 2 Lander Operations Control Centre, where its story continues to inspire future generations of scientists and engineers. Developed by a UK-led team with major contributions from the University of Leicester, Beagle 2 successfully reached Mars in 2003, with its landing site later confirmed by NASA imagery.

The project is widely recognised as a remarkable success story in British space exploration. To honour this pioneering mission, visitors will be able to take part in a programme of activities throughout the day designed to inspire all ages.

Celebrations begin with a morning of family-friendly workshops and interactive experiences, including programmable rover challenges where young engineers can test their skills navigating a Martian landscape.

Visitors can also explore the fascinating geography of the Red Planet with the National Space Centre's Discovery Team and get up close to a life-sized model of the Beagle 2 lander.

Visitors can also enjoy Mission Mars, an interactive family talk presented by the Discovery Team at 11:00am and 1:30pm, exploring the challenges of travelling to, living on and returning from Mars before guests are invited to gather in the Live Space theatre for the official unveiling of a commemorative plaque marking the location of the Beagle 2 Lander Operations Control Centre within the National Space Centre at 12pm.

The afternoon programme will culminate in a special panel discussion featuring many of the scientists, engineers and mission specialists involved in Beagle 2. Designed for highly engaged space and science audiences, the discussion will offer unique insights into the mission's legacy from the new space approach that Beagle 2 laid the foundations for.

Whether you're discovering Beagle 2 for the first time or have followed its story from the beginning, this special celebration offers a rare opportunity to explore a mission that transformed our understanding of Mars and demonstrated the UK's capability to reach another world.

For more information and to plan your visit, go to spacecentre.co.uk.

---