Professor Colin Pillinger, the British planetary scientist behind the 'Beagle 2' mission to Mars, has died at the age of 70.
Pillinger suffered a brain haemorrhage at his home in Cambridge and fell into a coma, a statement from his family said.
He died at Addenbrooke's Hospital after failing to regain consciousness.
Pillinger's family said the loss was "devastating and unbelievable".
He became a professor in interplanetary science at the Open University in 1991, where he led the Department of Physical Sciences until 2005, and earned a host of other qualifications and awards during his prestigious career - which included work with NASA.
But he was best known for his work as lead scientist on the unfortunately doomed Beagle 2 mission to find life on Mars.
Above: Beagle 2 was named after the ship on which Charles Darwin sailed while gathering evidence for his theory of evolution.
The space craft was last seen heading for Mars on December 19 2003, after separating from its European Space Agency mothership Mars Express.
The craft was supposed to land on the planet on Christmas Day, but instead vanished in the atmosphere.
It was the first time that an individual researcher had sent a craft into space to search for life, and was widely admired and closely followed by the public. Pillinger was brutally disappointed by the mission's failure, but was awarded the CBE for his work in the same year.
Prof Pillinger was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005.
He said at the time that the illness would not stop his efforts to get Beagle technology back on Mars.
He lobbied Nasa to include technology similar to that on Beagle 2 in its most recent Mars lander, the Curiosity rover, and maintained that sending human explorers was largely pointless unless we could first establish the existence of life on the surface.
On Twitter figures from the worlds of science, entertainment and media all paid tribute to Pillinger's dedication and ability to inspire the public with his against-the-odds campaign to discover life on another planet:
Professor Colin Pillinger
SCIENCE Beagle (01 of37)
Beagle 2's chief scientist Professor Colin Pillinger during a press conference after his team failed to receive a call sign message from Beagle 2 telling them it has landed safely on Mars. The fate of Beagle 2 is now uncertain and mission controllers must wait until 10pm tonight for their next chance to check if the British probe has survived. 10/1/04: Another attempt to contact the Beagle 2 Mars probe was taking place. Hopes are fading rapidly of finding the lander, which has been missing since Christmas Day. 24/01/04: Scientists are beginning a last ditch attempt to make contact the craft which went missing on Christmas Day. Hailing attempts will be made as the mother ship, Mars Express, flies over Beagle 2's landing site. (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Beagle (02 of37)
Probe designer Professor Colin Pillinger attends a press conference in London, after the team lost contact with the Beagle 2 Mars probe on Christmas Day. Scientists today remained optimistic of the success of Britain's Beagle 2 Mars mission despite the earlier failure of the latest attempt to pick up the probe's signal. (credit:PA)
Colin Pillinger Beagle2 Mars Probe(03 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger, the lead scientist on the Beagle2 Mars probe, at the Open University in North London, as word comes through that there is still no signal from the surface of the red planet. (credit:PA)
Pillinger - Beagle 2 Work Progress(04 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger introduces Beagle 2 work progress with live footage from the aseptic assembly facility, at the Open University, Milton Keynes. Scientists were today finishing the construction of Beagle 2, a new spacecraft that will look for signs of life on the planet Mars. *..The team was preparing to close the craft s lander lid at the specially constructed design facility at the Open University s headquarters in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The Beagle 2, named after the ship on which Charles Darwin travelled to South America in 1831 and led to his revolutionary ideas on evolution, is expected to land on the red planet in December next year. (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Beagle (05 of37)
Alex James guitarist from Blur who wrote music for Beagle 2's call sign message, during a press conference at the Open University in Camden, north London. Scientists have failed to receive a call sign message from Beagle 2 telling them it has landed safely on Mars, the mission's chief scientist Professor Colin Pillinger said today. (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Beagle (06 of37)
Beagle 2's chief scientist Professor Colin Pillinger during a press conference after his team failed to receive a call sign message from Beagle 2 telling them it has landed safely on Mars. The fate of Beagle 2 is now uncertain and mission controllers must wait until 10pm tonight for their next chance to check if the British probe has survived. (credit:PA)
Duke Of York & Colin Pillinger Mars Probe(07 of37)
The Duke Of York (left) congratulates lead scientist and designer of the probe, Professor Colin Pillinger on the successful separation of the Mars probe Beagle 2 from the orbiter section, Mars Express, at the Royal Geographic Society in central London. The British designed Beagle 2 probe is scheduled to land on Mars on Christmas Day. (credit:PA)
Professor Colin Pillinger Beagle 2 Mars project(08 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger lead scientist of Beagle 2 Mars project, disappointed after hearing the news that no contact had come from Beagle 2 from Mars, at the Open University in Camden, north London. (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Beagle (09 of37)
Probe designer Professor Colin Pillinger attends a press conference in London, after the team lost contact with the Beagle 2 Mars probe on Christmas Day. Scientists today remained optimistic of the success of Britain's Beagle 2 Mars mission despite the earlier failure of the latest attempt to pick up the probe's signal. (credit:PA)
Beagle 2 Launch Party(10 of37)
John Credland (left) Colin Pillinger and Lord Sainsbury (right) watching the live transmission of the rocket carrying the Beagle2 at take off during the official UK launch party of Beagle 2, the BT Centre in London. (credit:PA)
Beagle 2 Inquiry(11 of37)
The Head of Planetary Sciences Research Institute at the Open University, Colin Pillinger (centre) during a press conference in central London, where an inquiry into Beagle 2, the ill-fated British mission to Mars, was revealing its findings. *04/08/04: A second inquiry report into the fate of Beagle 2, the British space probe that vanished while attempting to land on Mars, was published. (credit:PA)
Professor Colin Pillinger - Beagle 2 Report(12 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger, the lead scientists on the Beagle 2 project, speaking at a news conference in London follwing the publication of the second report into the failure of the British space probe that vanished while attempting to land on Mars on Christmas Day. Scientists say that they are no nearer discovering what went wrong, but one theory is that unusually thin air over the landing site, probably caused by turbulent dust storms, disrupted the descent and landing systems and that as a result Beagle 2's parachutes and cushioning airbags may have been deployed too late. (credit:PA)
Titan Landing - Royal Society(13 of37)
Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council's (PPARC) Director of Programmes Professor Colin Pillinger looks pensive during a press conference for the Huygens space probe which today touched down on Saturn's largest moon. (credit:PA)
Beagle 2 Inquiry(14 of37)
The Head of Planetary Sciences Research Institute at the Open University, Colin Pillinger during a press conference in central London, where an inquiry into Beagle 2, the ill-fated British mission to Mars, was revealing its findings. (credit:PA)
Professor Colin Pillinger - Beagle 2 Report(15 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger, the lead scientists on the Beagle 2 project, speaking at a news conference in London follwing the publication of the second report into the failure of the British space probe that vanished while attempting to land on Mars on Christmas Day. Scientists say that they are no nearer discovering what went wrong, but one theory is that unusually thin air over the landing site, probably caused by turbulent dust storms, disrupted the descent and landing systems and that as a result Beagle 2's parachutes and cushioning airbags may have been deployed too late. (credit:PA)
Professor Colin Pillinger(16 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger gives a lecture at The Royal Society in London, about the failure of the Beagle lander which was due to touch down on Mars late last year. European scientists are examining an image of the Beagle 2 Mars lander, taken moments after it was spun off from its mother ship, that also shows an unidentified object. 03/10/04: Colin Pillinger said that Britain will run out of world-leading scientists unless the downward 'spiral' in science education is stopped. Pillinger, who led the ill-fated Beagle 2 mission to Mars, expressed his fears at the implications of falling interest in sciences at school. He said education had to be put right now if the world's most exciting future projects were to involve British experts. (credit:PA)
Viz Magazine - 25th Anniversary & Book Launch Party(17 of37)
LONDON - OCTOBER 27: Scientist Colin Pillinger attends the 25th anniversary and book launch party for cult adult comic, Viz Magazine, at the Cafe de Paris on October 27, 2004 in London. The event also celebrates October 4 publication of silver-plated jubilee coffee table book '25 Years Of Viz'. (Photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(FILES) This file photo shows Beagle 2 P(18 of37)
London, UNITED KINGDOM: (FILES) This file photo shows Beagle 2 Project Scientist Colin Pillinger responding to journalist's questions 26 January 2004 during a press conference on the status of the Mars lander. The fate of Beagle 2 was no clearer 24 August, 2004, after the publication of a second inquiry report in London. A six-month internal investigation by the project team was unable to pinpoint why the mission failed on Christmas Day, but one theory is that unusually thin air over the landing site, probably caused by turbulent dust storms, disrupted the descent and landing systems. AFP PHOTO/JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Oldie Of The Year Awards(19 of37)
LONDON - MARCH 2: Scientist Sir Colin Pillinger and Sir Ranulph Fiennes arrive at The Oldie Of The Year Awards held at Simpsons In The Strand, March 2, 2004 in London. Set up by former Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams, the Oldie positions itself as being the antidote to the all pervasive cultures of celebrity and 'yoof' that have a stranglehold on the media. (Photo by Steve Finn/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Oldie Of The Year Awards(20 of37)
LONDON - MARCH 2: Scientist Sir Colin Pillinger attends The Oldie Of The Year Awards held at Simpsons In The Strand, March 2, 2004 in London. Set up by former Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams, the Oldie positions itself as being the antidote to the all pervasive cultures of celebrity and 'yoof' that have a stranglehold on the media. (Photo by Steve Finn/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Duke Of York & Colin Pillinger Mars probe(21 of37)
The Duke Of York (left) congratulates lead scientist and designer of the probe, Professor Colin Pillinger on the successful separation of the Mars probe Beagle 2 from the orbiter section, Mars Express, at the Royal Geographic Society in central London. The British designed Beagle 2 probe is scheduled to land on Mars on Christmas Day. (credit:PA)
The Oldie Of The Year Awards(22 of37)
LONDON - MARCH 2: Scientist Sir Colin Pillinger attends The Oldie Of The Year Awards held at Simpsons In The Strand, March 2, 2004 in London. Set up by former Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams, the Oldie positions itself as being the antidote to the all pervasive cultures of celebrity and 'yoof' that have a stranglehold on the media. (Photo by Steve Finn/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Colin Pillinger Aurora Project(23 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger (left) from the Open University London, with Franco Ungaro, from the European Space Agency, at the Institute of Electrical Engineers building in Central London. The pair were in talks about the future of Britain's involvement in the Aurora project, which is a frame work being proposed by ESA for the long-term exploration of the Solar system, with the end goal of a human mission to Mars by 2033. (credit:PA)
Colin Pillinger Beagle2 Mars Probe(24 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger, the lead scientist on the Beagle2 Mars probe, closes his eyes in disappointment as word comes through that there is still no signal from the surface of the red planet, at the Open University in North London. Scientists had hoped to communicate with the craft, which has been missing since Christmas Day, via its mother ship Mars Express which had it first opportunity to establish contact when it began flying over Beagle 2's landing site Wednesday. (credit:PA)
Beagle II Project Scientist Colin Pillin(25 of37)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Beagle II Project Scientist Colin Pillinger (L), Mission Manager Mark Sim (C) and Ian Morrison of Jodrell Bank address the media 26 January 2004 during a press conference on the status of the Beagle II Mars lander. New attempts have been made to contact the Beagle 2 probe which is lost presumably on the surface of Mars. The craft was believed to have landed on Christmas Day, but nothing has been heard from it since. AFP PHOTO/Jim WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Farnborough Air Show(26 of37)
Colin Pillinger, Open University professor of astronomy at the Farnborough Air Show, Hampshire with the Beagle 2 landing craft that will be launched from a spacecraft orbiting the planet in 2003 as part of a 4billion European Space Agency project. *...Scientists are constructing Beagle 2 at a contamination-free facility at the university in Milton Keynes to prevent micro-organisms from Earth contaminating Mars. The probe is designed to parachute to the surface, before burrowing underground to collect samples to see if the planet could ever have supported life. 07/01/2004: Scientists will today, Wednesday 7th January 2004, start a final all-out attempt to locate Britain's Beagle 2 Mars probe. They hope to communicate with the craft, which has been missing since Christmas Day, via its mother ship Mars Express. (credit:PA)
Beagle 2 Fails To Communicate With Mars Express(27 of37)
LONDON - JANUARY 7: Professor Colin Pillinger, lead scientist for Beagle 2 gestures as the British Mars probe Beagle 2 fails to communicate with its mothership, the Mars Explorer January 7, 2004 at the mission's headquarters in London. Beagle 2, which was supposed to land and transmit data from the surface of the red planet on Christmas day, has not been heard from since its separation from Mars Express. (Photo by Graeme Robertson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Professor Colin Pillinger project leader(28 of37)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Professor Colin Pillinger project leader of the British Mars lander Beagle 2 project scratches his head as he speaks to reporters about the continuing failure to make contact with probe 07 January, 2004 in London. The British-built Beagle probe separated as planned from the European Space Agency's Mars Express Orbiter on December 19 but has failed to make contact with earth after a planned Christmas Day touchdown on the planet's surface. AFP PHOTO/ALESSANDRO ABBONIZIO (Photo credit should read ALESSANDRO ABBONIZIO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Professor Colin Pillinger, project leade(29 of37)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Professor Colin Pillinger, project leader of the British Mars lander Beagle 2 project, speaks to reporter about the continuing failure to make contact with probe 07 January, 2004 in London. The British-built Beagle probe separated as planned from the European Space Agency's Mars Express Orbiter on December 19 but has failed to make contact with earth after a planned Christmas Day touchdown on the planet's surface. AFP PHOTO/ALESSANDRO ABBONIZIO (Photo credit should read ALESSANDRO ABBONIZIO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Colin Pillinger Beagle 2 (30 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger attends a press conference in London where he discussed the progress of 'Beagle 2 ' the Mars lander which they hoped to have received a signal from on Christmas day but have heard nothing so far. (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Beagle (31 of37)
Probe designer Professor Colin Pillinger attends a press conference in London, after the team lost contact with the Beagle 2 Mars probe on Christmas Day. Scientists today remained optimistic of the success of Britain's Beagle 2 Mars mission despite the earlier failure of the latest attempt to pick up the probe's signal. (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Beagle (32 of37)
Probe designer Professor Colin Pillinger attends a press conference in London, after the team lost contact with the Beagle 2 Mars probe on Christmas Day. Scientists today remained optimistic of the success of Britain's Beagle 2 Mars mission despite the earlier failure of the latest attempt to pick up the probe's signal. (credit:PA)
Professor Colin Pillinger project leader(33 of37)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Professor Colin Pillinger project leader of the British Mars lander Beagle 2 listens to a spokesman from the European Space Agency (ESA) about the continuing failure to make contact with probe 07 January, 2004 in London. The British-built Beagle probe separated as planned from the European Space Agency's Mars Express Orbiter on December 19 but has failed to make contact with earth after a planned Christmas Day touchdown on the planet's surface. AFP PHOTO/ALESSANDRO ABBONIZIO (Photo credit should read ALESSANDRO ABBONIZIO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Colin Pillinger Beagle 2 (34 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger attends a press conference in London where he discussed the progress of 'Beagle 2 ' the Mars lander which they hoped to have received a signal from on Christmas day but have heard nothing so far. (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Beagle (35 of37)
Beagle 2's chief scientist Professor Colin Pillinger during a press conference after his team failed to receive a call sign message from Beagle 2 telling them it has landed safely on Mars. The fate of Beagle 2 is now uncertain and mission controllers must wait until 10pm tonight for their next chance to check if the British probe has survived. (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Beagle (36 of37)
Probe designer Professor Colin Pillinger attends a press conference in London, after the team lost contact with the Beagle 2 Mars probe on Christmas Day. Scientists today remained optimistic of the success of Britain's Beagle 2 Mars mission despite the earlier failure of the latest attempt to pick up the probe's signal. (credit:PA)
Colin Pillinger and David Southwood Beagle 2 (37 of37)
Professor Colin Pillinger (left) and Professor David Southwood, Head of Science at the European Space Agency attend a press conference in London, where they discussed the progress of 'Beagle 2 ' the Mars lander which they hoped to have received a signal from on Christmas day but have heard nothing so far. (credit:PA)