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Spirit and Opportunity

KonradKonrad Ranger
in Zocalo v2.0
So who wants to place odds on today's launch of "Spirit" finishing its mission?

We also need odds on "Opportunity" actually launching on the 25th of June - then on it too finishing its mission.

Then we should have odds on BOTH making it or not!

In my opinion NASA needs to drop the "find life on Mars" thing - and just look for water and ways of setting up a more permanent post (even if just robotic). :robot:

Comments

  • David of MacDavid of Mac Elite Ranger Ca
    But if we stop looking for life, how will we find that Shadow ship?
  • KonradKonrad Ranger
    We already found the shadow ship: Where do you think Martha and Hillary came from? ;)
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Re: Spirit and Opportunity

    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Konrad [/i]
    [B]In my opinion NASA needs to drop the "find life on Mars" thing - and just look for water and ways of setting up a more permanent post (even if just robotic). :robot: [/B][/QUOTE]

    What do you think these two probes are doing? Their primary purpose is to investigate the possible existance of water, now and in the past. Not only can that greatly advance the search for life on Mars, but it also advances (however slowly) the ability to put a manned mission on Mars in the future.
  • KonradKonrad Ranger
    Re: Re: Spirit and Opportunity

    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Biggles [/i]
    [B]What do you think these two probes are doing? [/B][/QUOTE]

    I don't know! That's the scary thing! :confused:

    Read This:
    [url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39511-2003Jun10.html?nav=hptoc_n[/url]

    See the quotes about water? It's just a strange attitude, focus, and direction... IMHO
  • RhettRhett (Not even a monkey)
    Im too lazy to read right now... What exactly would be suspicious about looking for water ( an essential to life for humans)?
  • KonradKonrad Ranger
    Three Snips from the article:

    "The fundamental scientific purpose of the MER mission is to try to determine whether or not Mars was ever a place that had an environment at its surface that was suitable for life," said principal investigator Steve Squyres.

    "We're not searching for water this time. . . . ," said NASA science chief Edward Weiler. "We know there was water on Mars [in the distant past].

    "What this mission does is try to understand how long water persevered at any given point. That's the key question for life. Because life, whenever you find water that perseveres for thousands or millions or tens of millions of years, life seems to spring up."
    _________________________________________________

    They should have spent the 800 million on ways to be on mars more permanently - The focus seems all off to me - They can play archiologist later when it's more cost effective. It's short sighted thinking on the part of the NASA "instant gratification" managers - who are in there because NASA desperatly needs a few 'easy victories' to make up for their blunders (and for thier own glory).

    (I also heard today that there will not be any more of those spectacular night shuttle launches!!! What a shame - I loved those. :( )
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Sounds to me like 3 quotes from 3 people who arn't closely related to the mission. Those 'bots are heading there with tools designed to look for water, and are set to land in places that it's thought water did exist (for one), and water may still exist (for the other).
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