Around 1998, Robert took an interest in the British National Space Centre's expeditions, and thus contacted one of its scientists, Vanessa. After the promise of a great deal of money, the two began working together for over five years, though they only communicated indirectly, and never met. In 2003, after the supposed failure of the Mars Express mission, Robert and Vanessa met at a café. There, Vanessa handed over the data and control codes from the Beagle 2, which she had intercepted.