After installing and configuring Search Server Express 2010 on Foundation I was unable to open the Search Service Application I had created in order to configure the crawling. To fix this problem you need to do the following.

• Go To Central Administration
• Under Application Management, click Manage Service Applications 
• Highlight the Search Service Application Service that you can't get access to.
• Click on Administrators in the ribbon
• Add your account to the list of Administrators and then check the Full Control Check Box.
• Click OK

Now you should be able to click on the Service Application and Administer it.

Hope this helps!