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Group Plans to Bring Martian Sample to Earth

Posted by samzenpus on from the plot-to-a-made-for-tv-movie dept.

sm62704 (mcgrew) writes "New Scientist has a story about IMARS (the International Mars Architecture for Return Samples) planning to bring samples of Martian soil to earth. The robotic mission would be a needed precursor to manned trips to the red planet. Also, international cooperation is necessary since the US has already nixed bankrolling manned Mars missions."

7 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. I wonder if we should. by AltGrendel · · Score: 2, Funny

    With all the movies and sci-fi books out there that have reasons why we shouldn't, maybe we should leave well enough alone.

    --
    The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination

    - Douglas Adams

    1. Re:I wonder if we should. by CRCulver · · Score: 2, Funny

      Agreed. I fear Earth will soon face an epidemic of The Andromeda Strain . After all Crichton was a doctor, he should know.

  2. Other worth subjects by Kranfer · · Score: 3, Funny

    While mars is a worthy subject of return samples, I also believe that more return samples from coments/asteroids would be of more value for figuing out if life is out there. As we all know from previous /. articles, bacteria can survive on space craft, and we are worried about bringing such life to places like mars. However I think Europia and Io would be awesome places to check out for life. But thats just me... if it were up to me, I would say do what the Governor of CA said on the Howard Stern Show a few weeks ago... get a bunch of rocket engines and move the earth a few inches more away from the sun to get rid of global warming... but hey what do I know?

    --
    -- Josh
    "Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that's a long one for me!" - Pete Conrad
  3. Send a Mars Rover and pieces to make a catapult by Thanshin · · Score: 4, Funny

    With about 0.35g, they may just send a Mars Rover with a mechanical arm and also send pieces to build a catapult. In six months or so, the rover builds the catapult and uses it to throw a piece of ground back.

    The only problem could be the rover exceeding his expected lifetime thirteen times and burying us in Mars pieces.

  4. Braaaains......... by blankoboy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Watch for slow moving and moaning scientists coming to a neighborhood near you!

  5. ahem by Martian_Kyo · · Score: 3, Funny

    I for one welcome our new earthling overlords

  6. Re:Rocket engines by _Shorty-dammit · · Score: 2, Funny

    1. Which you could simply repeat.

    2. Rocket store.

    3. The ground.

    4. Yes.

    5. Maybe.

    6. Says you.