Mars Lives.

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

So what does that mean for us?  I mean Mankind?  Remember, if we were meant to really travel, live, or subsist in the Heavens, let alone another planet, we would have been born out there, live there, or able to travel or live out there without the aid of machines (rocket ships, star ships, etc.).  Earth was created for Man, animals, and whatever other living organisms and things are now here as a result of that initial creation.  The other planets are void and/or hostile to humans and other living things that live on our planet; and...space is even more hostile with no atmosphere, air, or any type environment hospitable to humans and/or other living things on our planet; therefore, we can assess that we were meant to be right here on Mother Earth and no where else (one of the reasons why we have gravity, to keep us down here).  We may go to Mars, other planets, or possibly other solar systems one day, but granted we will not live there like most dream about or think.

Heights Unknown

Its called adaptation and maybe a little evolution thrown in for good measure.

[Doctor_K]

As much as I'm emotionally attached to the Space Shuttle (as I grew up during its heyday), I think that in the grand scheme of things the Shuttle will end up being a sort of evolutionary cul-de-sac in terms of Earth-launched spaceflight capabilities.  Orion, as a successor to and the evolution of Apollo/Mercury/Gemini, demonstrates this, IMO.

As a self-edit, I think had the X-33, and Rocket- and Space-Plane programs buy Lockheed gone through (the ones they were touting in the '90s and ealrier this decade), then it would've been the Apollo capsules ending up as the dead-ends rather than the Space Shuttle.  Since all of those were pretty much steps on the way to what has become the Orion/Constellation programs, it's now the Apollo-esque derivative that will take us back to the Moon.

--end of thread hijack--

As for Mars?  Who knows?  More than likely if Orion/Constellation is successful in getting us to and helping to establish a station of some sort on the Moon, then NASA will probably take that proven technology and apply it forward towards getting us to Mars.  (Can't help but throw in the Total Recall quote - "Get your *** to Mars...")

Then again, who knows what the next 20 years hold?  There might be some technological breakthrough or some advanced significant enough to merit using a different kind of technology altogether to make the trip to the Red Planet.  Maybe Ion Engines will come into their own by then?  Technological advances are almost always incremental rather than mind-blowing, so the speculation will continue to fluorish until the day...til all are one.  But I digress. 

[Doctor_K]

So what does that mean for us?  I mean Mankind?  Remember, if we were meant to really travel, live, or subsist in the Heavens, let alone another planet, we would have been born out there, live there, or able to travel or live out there without the aid of machines (rocket ships, star ships, etc.).  Earth was created for Man, animals, and whatever other living organisms and things are now here as a result of that initial creation.  The other planets are void and/or hostile to humans and other living things that live on our planet; and...space is even more hostile with no atmosphere, air, or any type environment hospitable to humans and/or other living things on our planet; therefore, we can assess that we were meant to be right here on Mother Earth and no where else (one of the reasons why we have gravity, to keep us down here).  We may go to Mars, other planets, or possibly other solar systems one day, but granted we will not live there like most dream about or think.

Heights Unknown

Its called adaptation and maybe a little evolution thrown in for good measure.

Definitely adaptation.  As a species endowed with the ability to learn and adapt as we have over the millenia, it stands that we pretty much *must* take the next step into space.  It truly is the next frontier. 

Proto-humans spread out from Africa and Asia.  Enlightenment-age explorers spread out and stumbled upon the New World.  Copernicus, Cassini, Huygens, Newton, and the rest of their Western and Eastern contemporaries almost-literally exploded the envelope of human knowledge and understanding of the world and universe around us, in spite of oppostion from the Church, the ruling classes, and what was then 'common knowledge.'

We type and communicate on computers which are infinitely more powerful and capable than what put Apollo on the Moon only 50 years ago.  The World Wide Web brings us near-instant communication and information.  Ideas are shared infinitely faster than ever thought possible only what, two decades ago?

Point is, we advance.  We're drawn, as a species, to the 'next great challenge,' regardless of economics, politics, whatever.  The core yearning of the human spirit is to advance, learn, discover.

[BridgeTroll]

Very well said... (heavy applause... standing ovation....)

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

Im there with you Bridgetroll.  Encore!

[Jason]

Doctor_K, well said!  For some reason while I was reading your post I couldn't help but hum the Star Trek theme song.  You should be the spokesperson for NASA....   

[Doctor_K]

LoL - thanks Jason.  Bad enough I slipped in the 80's Transformers 'til all are one' bit.  As a spokesperson, I'd make a lousy comedian.  And vice-versa.   

But I do feel that that's what lies ahead for us.  If that makes me idealistic and a tad cheesy, then so be it.

[Jason]

I'm just as cheesy as you are then!  I agree that space is most definitely the next frontier.  Can't wait to read about a pending mission to the moon and then onward to Mars.

Just for grins...

http://au.geocities.com/bec78203/TOStheme.mp3
http://au.geocities.com/bec78204/TheMotionPicture.mp3

[BridgeTroll]

The five year anniversary is here for the two rovers Spirit and Opportunity.  The taxpayers got their monies worth and then some.

Here is a short four minute video...

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/index.cfm?id=795

[Doctor_K]

Good link, BT.  What a brilliant success story the Twins have been.  Each was slated for a 90-day mission, and here we are at the 5-year mark.  It's truly a shame that this doesn't get reported more across all the news and other media outlets.  It's certainly a triumph for space exploration and the expansion of knowledge.

Phenomenal success for NASA, especially amidst the uncertain futures of the Space Shuttle and Constellation/Orion programs.

[BridgeTroll]

I agree Doc... for some reason our press would rather beat ourselves up over our failures rather than trumpet our many successes.

[BridgeTroll]

Just a quick update on our intrepid rovers...

Spirit

As of Sol 1802 (January 27, 2009), Spirit's solar-array energy production is 200 watt-hours, enough to light a 100-watt bulb for two hours. Atmospheric opacity (tau) is 0.573, slightly higher than it was a week earlier. The dust factor is 0.255, meaning that only 25.5 percent of sunlight hitting Spirit's solar array penetrates the layer of accumulated dust to generate electricity. Otherwise, Spirit remains in good health. Spirit's total odometry is 7,540.67 meters (4.69 miles).

Opportunity

As of Sol 1782 (January 27, 2009), Opportunity's solar-array energy production is 570 watt-hours, enough to light a 100-watt bulb for nearly six hours. Atmospheric opacity (tau) is 0.483, slightly higher than it was a week earlier. The dust factor on the solar array is 0.609, meaning that 60.9 percent of the sunlight hitting the solar array penetrates the layer of accumulated dust to generate electricity. The rover is in good health. Opportunity's total odometry is 14,047.76 meters (8.73 miles).

[Jason]

Too bad there couldn't be a gust of wind or a rain shower to wash off the dust from the solar array.  I wonder if the rovers are built to hit the highway for a quick dust-off and then just get off at the next exit?

[Doctor_K]

I seem to remember a while ago that one of them was stuck in a particularly fun storm, and that the wind had actually blown a portion of the accumulated dust off the arrays.  I don't have the story or date or anything, but I do remember reading about that some time ago.

What an awesome success story these rovers continue to be!

[BridgeTroll]

This has happened quite a few times... Spirit, which is the most covered, is in an area frequented by very large dust devils that have cleaned it before.