The latest Mars mission has really gotten a lot of attention. Did they hire a new PR agency? It seems to have reached more people that don’t normally follow any space related news.
It makes me smile seeing people excitedly write things like “This is so amazing that we’ve finally made it to Mars.” or “Look at this picture that was just taken of a Martian sunset!” and it links to a photo from 2005.
I think the extra attention is good for the long term funding for such projects. I look forward to watching humans walk on the Moon again and someday Mars as well.
The attention has been wonderful, OK. But the MER landings were celebrated almost as much, rightly so. As was Pathfinder.
I once got the opportunity to tell Ed Stone, when he was the Director of JPL, that we needed to steal people from Disney, NFL Film, etc. etc., give them the resources to tell our story, and turn them loose with their own creativity.
We would have to turn down work, and never again have to beg Congress for funding, because we’re already doing the most amazing stuff humans have ever done.
Then I got off my 30-second soapbox, went back down to work, and got my breathing back under control. I still remember the Disney/Werner von Braun specials in the fifties. They worked! Who’s doing that now?
I guess it’s tweets or it didn’t happen.
Its funny, cause with the previous mission a years back, I always heard of it and much before they landed on Mars. I heard about this mission yesterday!! It doesn’t seem like its really been publicized to me much at all. I guess its just where you get your news from I guess.
Call me when we walk on the Sun.
We’d have to land at night, of course.
Don’t be dumb! The sun’s gravity field is way too high for a sunwalk.
Sure, there have been other missions to Mars, but none of them were equipped with lasers than can vaporize rock from 30 feet away.
I wouldn’t mind a mission to M&M/Mars.
All we have to tell people about this mission is the truth: This was a jet-pack assisted landing of a giant Robot Science Tank powered by atomic energy.
If that doesn’t get buzz, nothing will!