Slashdot Mirror
Visiting Our Red Space Neighbor
Enthusiasm for visiting our red space neighbor seems to be growing. m4dm4n writes "A study carried out by MIT's Aeronautics and Astronautics department has concluded that getting men to Mars in the 2020 timeframe is possible. The intelligent re-use of crew habitat modules, propulsion stages, and engines in various missions will enable NASA to significantly reduce their initial timeline which was well past 2030." Relatedly, ErikPeterson wrote to mention a Space.com article where Neil Armstrong says getting to Mars may be easier than getting to the Moon was back in the day, because of the hurdles they had to overcome. From the article: "It will be expensive, it will take a lot of energy and a complex spacecraft. But I suspect that even though the various questions are difficult and many, they are not as difficult and many as those we faced when we started the Apollo (space program) in 1961." We're starting to understand more about the red planet as well, as madstork2000 writes "The BBC is reporting on the possibility of active volcanoes on Mars. So now there is water, heat, and soon big business when 4Frontiers gets there. Hopefully we'll get a Google Mars soon to check it out up close."
What about getting women there ?
Geeks can't get women here, so isn't that a rhetorical question?
"Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"
Does this mean that soon, I too could wake up next to Sharon Stone and lead a martian revolution?
"Visiting our Red Space Neighbor?" What the hell? That's a terribly headline. What's wrong with saying "Mars?"
"Excuse me honey. I have to go to the big toilet room neighbor."
Stupid like a fox!
>> What about getting women there ?
> Geeks can't get women here, so isn't that a rhetorical question?
You shouldn't reply if you think it's a rhetorical question.
You raise an interesting point, but- Hey, look! Bigfoot riding a unicorn!
As for Velcro, "The hook and loop fastener was invented in 1948 by Georges de Mestral, a Swiss engineer. The idea came to him after he took a close look at the seed pod burrs which kept sticking to his dog on their daily walk in the Alps."
No it wasn't. It was sold to a businessman in a big city near Carbon Creek, Pennsylvania, by a strange woman with pointy ears in the late 50's.
Yup, I know I'm going to get modded down for referencing that, but I've got karma to burn...
Yeah but think of the patenting opportunities!
Method for locking a door... IN SPACE!
Method for input of data... IN SPACE!
etc.
Then you have the meta-patents...
Method for input of data.. ON A COMPUTER! IN SPACE!
A million to one, he said.
I'm trying to improve my English. Please correct me on any spelling/grammar errors in this post.