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Next-Gen Mars Rover In Danger of Cancellation

Posted by timothy on from the infinite-possibilities-finite-taxpayers dept.

OriginalArlen writes "NASA's next-generation rover, the nuclear-powered, laser-equipped Mars Science Laboratory is reported to be at a serious risk of cancellation due to budget and schedule overruns, including non-delivery of vital parts by a subcontractor. Costs are running over $2B so far, and the already thin schedule of Mars missions planned for the next decade — with budget ring-fenced for an outer-planets flagship mission — is in danger of further cuts."

3 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. Nuclear Powered? Laser Armed? by R2.0 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Anyone else thinking that this is just a smokescreen to develop the most awesomest Battlebot ever?

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    "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
  2. Re:Love space, but... by pilgrim23 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
    Mayor: What do you mean, biblical?
    Ray: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor... real Wrath-of-God-type stuff. Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies.
    Venkman: Rivers and seas boiling!
    Egon: 40 years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanos.
    Winston:The dead rising from the grave!
    Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats, living together... mass hysteria!

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    - Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum.
  3. Not to late to save it by ciaohound · · Score: 3, Funny

    nuclear-powered, laser-equipped

    Couldn't it just be repurposed to fight terrorists?

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    Oh, yeah, it's not easy to pad these out to 120 characters.