The British Beagle 2 spacecraft landed successfully on Mars' surface, David Parker, the chief executive of the UK Space Agency has confirmed.
The probe was thought lost after attempting a Christmas Day landing on the planet in 2003.
Twitter users have paid tribute to an "inspiring" space mission that showed the world "anything is possible":
For 12 years Beagle 2 was feared lost but today it has been hailed after images showed the probe successfully landed on Mars in 2003.
Out of this world: Five fun facts about Beagle 2
Evidence suggests the missing British Beagle 2 spacecraft, reportedly built in a Professor's shed, did land successfully on Mars in 2003.