Scientists may have solved decade old mystery surrounding ill-fated British lander that vanished on its way to Mars

A GROUP of scientists may have solved a decade old mystery surrounding a missing spacecraft on Mars.

Undated graphic of the Mars Express in orbit around Mars. The craft will carry the British-built Beagle 2 probe which was sh...

AN ill-fated British lander that vanished on its way to Mars more than a decade ago may have been spotted by an orbiting spacecraft.

The dustbin-lid-sized craft called the Beagle 2 was released from its mothership, Mars Express, on December 19, 2003.

It was supposed to touch down on the red planet on Christmas Day in 2003, but after plunging through the Martian atmosphere, it was never heard from again.

Now there’s reason to believe the Beagle 2’s final resting place may finally have been discovered.

Artist's impression of a simulation of the three airbags separating to release the British Beagle 2 lander onto the surface of Mars in 2003 image.

It is believed that scientists operating the HiRise camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spotted the lost Beagle and will take part in a press conference this Friday to make announcements regarding the mystery.

Shane Byrne, a scientist on the HiRise team at the University of Arizona, told the Guardian it was the only camera in the Mars orbit that can image the surface in high enough detail to spot missing spacecraft.

“It’s definitely pretty close to its intended landing spot, no matter what. It entered the atmosphere at the right time and place,” he said.

Undated graphic of the Mars Express in orbit around Mars. The craft will carry the British-built Beagle 2 probe which was shot into space 02/06/03 in an attempt to prove whether there is or was life on Mars. (AP) PicEuropea/Space/Agency space planets exploration illustrations

The HiRise team have had previous successes before by locating the twin Viking landers which touched down on Mars in the 1970s.

They have also photographed NASA’s Phoenix, Curiosity and Opportunity rovers.

No more information will be released until Friday’s press conference.