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NASA Announces Next Mars Mission
Grant Henninger writes "Today, NASA announced their final selection for the Mars Scout 2013 mission: Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN. MAVEN will provide the first direct measurements ever taken to address key scientific questions about Mars's evolution by measuring characteristics of its atmospheric gases, upper atmosphere, solar wind, and ionosphere. The mission, estimated to cost $485M, is scheduled for launch in late 2013."
Hoyven MAVEN!
Can we keep the same units of measurement this time? (That was a Mars mission right?)
In other news NASA has just issued a press release stating that the proposed $485M mission is already over budget.
I mean, I may not know much about space exploration, although I find the topic fun and interesting, but as they are planning this mission, which in effect is the studying of Mars atmosphere and weather, why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone and study Mars' crust or at least, something more like a few hundred feet into the ground itself?
Whatever equipment they send, have a missile or something that can impact or dig into the soil, be launched from space directly onto Mars soil. The resulting hole that would be from could receive the visit from a drone, who could take samples and make various analyses. After all, the surface soil samples they've been doing, it's all nice and dandy, but the real story, I believe should be what's underneath it all.
That way, they get data from the air and they get a sample of what Mars is made of down below. We may end up finding more resources available to help with towards a real man space exploration, as there may be resources awaiting to be utilized.
Depending on cost, etc.., they may even be able to have key locations targetted for drilling and just have a drone in each location dropped.
Gives a better perspective, might see some variations in what is found, depending on location..
Try working in the DoD itself. You're presented with the full-retard breadth of bad acronyms on the daily. But when I try and be creative and come up with something like SADIST or SMEGMA, my boss just tells me to go back to my desk.
Have us engineering students, engineers and insane rocket enthusiasts/investors design a mission to mars using live animals to test as many technologies as possible before you even think of sending a human mission. We US engineers are either bored building endless varieties of consumer crap or worrying what are we will be asked to build in a war with Russia and Iran. I vote C, a moused mission to mars. Think of the merchandising!
An Education is the Font of All Liberty
MAVEN - the toilet paper!
MAVEN - the action figure!
MAVEN - the breakfast cereal!
MAVEN - the flame thrower! (the kids love this one)
Similar to the upcoming US election results
CATCHIER:
Catchy Acronyms That Can Help Increase Economic Resources.
Yeah, I'm bored, and have spent too much time playing !acro on IRC.
WWJD.... for a Klondike bar?