Colin Pillinger
Encyclopedia
Colin Trevor Pillinger, CBE
, (born in Kingswood
, just outside Bristol
on 9 May 1943) is a planetary scientist at the Open University
in the UK. He was the principal investigator for the British Beagle 2
Mars lander project, and has done much work studying a group of Martian meteorites.
In May 2005 Pillinger was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
.
, just outside Bristol
, England, where he was brought up with his sister who was six years older. His father, Alfred, was a manual worker for the Gas Board and his mother, Florence (née Honour), was a housewife. He attended Kingswood Grammar School, and later graduated with a BSc
and a Ph.D.
in Chemistry at the University College of Swansea
(now called Swansea University).
, analysing the lunar samples brought back by Apollo 11
; but he is best known for being the principal investigator
for the Beagle 2
Mars
lander project, part of European Space Agency
's (ESA) 2003 Mars Express
mission. It was Pillinger's wife who thought of the "Beagle 2" name for the project. The reason for the failure of the mission has not been determined, but an ESA inquiry concluded that "... there were programmatic and organisational reasons that led to a significantly higher risk of Beagle 2 failure, than otherwise might have been the case." However, Pillinger is adamant that the mission was not a failure.
After experiencing difficulty with walking for two years, Pillinger was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis
in May 2005. He owned a dairy farm, but his illness prevented him from doing physical work on the farm, such as digging the ground and mucking out the cows. He owns a pet dog and appreciates the welcome and affection it gives.
}}|event= Ph.D (Chemistry) from University College of Swansea}}|event= Post-doctoral fellow, University of Bristol
Department of Chemistry}}|event= Fellow, Cambridge University}}|event= Research Associate, Cambridge University}}|event= Senior Research Associate, Department of Earth Science
, University of Cambridge
}}|event= Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
}}|event= member of the British Mass Spectrometry Society}}|event= Honorary D.Sc (Chemistry) from University of Bristol
}}|event= Senior Research Fellow, Department of Earth Science, Open University}}|event= Fellow of the Meteoritical Society
}}|event= made Professor of Planetary Sciences at the Open University
}}|event= member of the IAU
}}|event= Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
}}|event= elected a Fellow of the Royal Society}}|event= Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College
in the City of London (until 2000)}}|event= made a CBE
}}
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (born in Kingswood
Kingswood, South Gloucestershire
Kingswood is an urban area in South Gloucestershire, England, bordering the City of Bristol to the west. It is located on both sides of the A420 road, which connects Bristol and Chippenham and which forms the high street through the principal retail zone...
, just outside Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
on 9 May 1943) is a planetary scientist at the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
in the UK. He was the principal investigator for the British Beagle 2
Beagle 2
Beagle 2 was an unsuccessful British landing spacecraft that formed part of the European Space Agency's 2003 Mars Express mission. All contact with it was lost upon its separation from the Mars Express six days before its scheduled entry into the atmosphere...
Mars lander project, and has done much work studying a group of Martian meteorites.
In May 2005 Pillinger was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
.
Early life
Pillinger was born on 9 May 1943 in Kingswood, South GloucestershireKingswood, South Gloucestershire
Kingswood is an urban area in South Gloucestershire, England, bordering the City of Bristol to the west. It is located on both sides of the A420 road, which connects Bristol and Chippenham and which forms the high street through the principal retail zone...
, just outside Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England, where he was brought up with his sister who was six years older. His father, Alfred, was a manual worker for the Gas Board and his mother, Florence (née Honour), was a housewife. He attended Kingswood Grammar School, and later graduated with a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Chemistry at the University College of Swansea
Swansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
(now called Swansea University).
Beagle 2
Pillinger's first job was for NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, analysing the lunar samples brought back by Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
; but he is best known for being the principal investigator
Principal investigator
A principal investigator is the lead scientist or engineer for a particular well-defined science project, such as a laboratory study or clinical trial....
for the Beagle 2
Beagle 2
Beagle 2 was an unsuccessful British landing spacecraft that formed part of the European Space Agency's 2003 Mars Express mission. All contact with it was lost upon its separation from the Mars Express six days before its scheduled entry into the atmosphere...
Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
lander project, part of European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
's (ESA) 2003 Mars Express
Mars Express
Mars Express is a space exploration mission being conducted by the European Space Agency . The Mars Express mission is exploring the planet Mars, and is the first planetary mission attempted by the agency. "Express" originally referred to the speed and efficiency with which the spacecraft was...
mission. It was Pillinger's wife who thought of the "Beagle 2" name for the project. The reason for the failure of the mission has not been determined, but an ESA inquiry concluded that "... there were programmatic and organisational reasons that led to a significantly higher risk of Beagle 2 failure, than otherwise might have been the case." However, Pillinger is adamant that the mission was not a failure.
Personal life
Pillinger's wife, Judith, is also a scientist and they met working in the same laboratory. They have a son and a daughter.After experiencing difficulty with walking for two years, Pillinger was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
in May 2005. He owned a dairy farm, but his illness prevented him from doing physical work on the farm, such as digging the ground and mucking out the cows. He owns a pet dog and appreciates the welcome and affection it gives.
Awards
Chronology of qualifications, career, and awards:|event= B.Sc (Chemistry) from University College of SwanseaSwansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
}}|event= Ph.D (Chemistry) from University College of Swansea}}|event= Post-doctoral fellow, University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
Department of Chemistry}}|event= Fellow, Cambridge University}}|event= Research Associate, Cambridge University}}|event= Senior Research Associate, Department of Earth Science
University of Cambridge Department of Earth Sciences
The Department of Earth Sciences at Cambridge is the University of Cambridge's Earth Sciences department. The main location of the department is at the Downing Site, Downing St. The Bullard Laboratories, located in West Cambridge on Madingley Rd, and the Godwin Laboratory, in the New Museums Site...
, University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
}}|event= Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
}}|event= member of the British Mass Spectrometry Society}}|event= Honorary D.Sc (Chemistry) from University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
}}|event= Senior Research Fellow, Department of Earth Science, Open University}}|event= Fellow of the Meteoritical Society
Meteoritical Society
The Meteoritical Society is a non-profit scholarly organization founded in 1933 to promote research and education in planetary science with emphasis on studies of meteorites and other extraterrestrial materials that further our understanding of the origin and history of the solar system.The...
}}|event= made Professor of Planetary Sciences at the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
}}|event= member of the IAU
IAU
IAU may refer to:*International Astronomical Union*International American University*International American University College of Medicine*International Association of Universities*International Association of Ultrarunners...
}}|event= Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
}}|event= elected a Fellow of the Royal Society}}|event= Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College
Gresham College
Gresham College is an institution of higher learning located at Barnard's Inn Hall off Holborn in central London, England. It was founded in 1597 under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham and today it hosts over 140 free public lectures every year within the City of London.-History:Sir Thomas Gresham,...
in the City of London (until 2000)}}|event= made a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
}}
External links
- Official site.
- Beagle 2 - in conversation with Colin Pillinger from a talk at the Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...