From Jillian Allen
I applaud your call for open publishing of the Beagle 2 report (29 May, p 3). This project was not only followed by astronomers and scientists, it also stimulated the interest of the public – something that should be encouraged.
We all want to understand what went wrong, but the information is denied to almost everyone, even those actively involved with Beagle 2. All we can glean from the “recommendations” is that the project was one big shambles. This seems unfair on those who worked hard under difficult circumstances and gave so much to the project. They have a right to know the facts, as do taxpayers and other stakeholders.
Such secrecy will only discourage financial support for future missions and lead to suspicion and lack of confidence in the UK’s space programme and project-management abilities. A failed experiment can be a valuable learning tool and need not be wasted time or money – so long as data from it is properly and openly used.
Reading, Berkshire, UK
