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Spaceballs Could Invade Mars
Byteme writes: "CNN reports giant tethered inflatable balls that are being developed by NASA as a potential alternative to the unsuccessful roving robots. The balls apparently will inflate and deflate to catch favorable wind directs and to stop on location. Not quite the fast, cheap and out-of-control solution... but it could be fun to watch!" I wonder if there are any MPEGs of the test this article talks about -- it sounds pretty fun to watch.
Aw shit, there goes the planet!
One future, two choices. Oppose them or let them destroy us.
Are you sure this 'space ball' idea isn't the work of the european space agency... because those things look like giant soccer balls. Could you imagine the soccer riots that british and german soccer fan astronauts could get into when they finally land on mars! :)
===> An eye for an eye makes everyone blind - MG
They have to start out at Mars; If they jumped directly to Spaceballs on Uranus, it would scare the US Taxpayer into calling their congress-critter.
Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.
...Martians across the globe are boarding up their windows, in anticipation of the thousands of so-called "soccer hooligans" on their way to see the semi-final match.
Residents are advised to stay off the streets, and if meeting one of these British soccer fans, not to claim loyalty to any particular team.
Well, at least it's innovative. Gotta admit that.
It may look like I'm doing nothing, but I'm actively waiting for my problems to go away.
--Scott Adams
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giant intelligent inflated ball... "rover"... aiiiiiiieeeeee!!!!!
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
I like the idea of a sperical object not having to worry about getting hung up on rocks and all, but what are they going to announce?
"We have successfully landed our balls on Mars!"
and in a notoriously bad quote
"Remote vehicle landing specialist John Doe says he feels so lucky to have his job in that he gets to play with NASA's balls everyday."
Sorry, but that just sounds wrong.
I posted to
NASA builds this huge ball that can roll over anything. Packs it with cameras and sensors. Launches the thing from way behind the three point line, and gets it to Mars. Only then do they realize the ball is opaque!
This reminds me of the polymorph from Red Dwarf (BBC TV) series.
At one point, the shape-changer flips through different object shapes until it settles on a basketball and goes bouncing down a corridor.
Now all we need are robots that can mimic shrinking boxer shorts and we're set!
NASA has no balls, and now they come up with this...
The rolling Mars robot could reach speeds of 35 km/h (22 mph) and come to a halt by releasing gas.
And I though only conversations could be brought to a halt by a release of gas....
Screw you all! I'm off to the pub