Beagle, Phone Home!
The Beagle 2 Mars Lander has not been heard from after several attempts to contact the robot. Operators are still holding out hope for contact via Beagle's traveling companion, Mars Express, next week. It is possible that the Lander may have landed in a crater.

Solar System exploration will get off to a fast start in 2004 with the Stardust cometary encounter on Jan. 2 and the Spirit Mars rover landing on Jan. 3.