Lockheed Martin Wins Contract to Build Mars Lander

[radarredux]

Yep, the "Mars Lander" ... at least that is how Slashdot reported the story about Lockheed winning the CEV contract. Now the education and technology interests of Slashdot's readers is probably in the top 2-5% of the country.<br /><br />Yesterday we had a friend over for lunch as I watched the NASA press conference on the CEV contract, and she was surprised that we were going "back to the Moon". Now she has a Masters degree in math and works at a university.<br /><br />These two small incidents remind me how little awareness most of the people in this country have of NASA's activities.

 

[rybanis]

Seriously, I saw that yesterday and shrugged. Slashdot dupes and has some questionable grammar sometimes, but to screw up something like that? The mind boggles. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[crix]

How are we not going "back to the Moon?"

 

[j05h]

LOL! That says more about Slashdot's editors than it's readers. +5 Funny<br /><br />Josh (slashdot user #5625) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[PistolPete]

My mom works at the North Carolina School of Science and Math, several monts ago they had a live teleconfrence with the ISS. My mom invited me to go so, of course, I jumped at the chance. When I got there I she introduced me to most of the teachers there.<br /><br />In conversation with them it surprised me that I, an uneducated army grunt with a GED, knew more about the current state of the space program than people with bachelors and masters in science and mathmatics.<br /><br />However there was one glairing exception, one of the teachers was a runner up for the teacher in space program. Fortunatly for her she didn't win.<br /><br />I hold hope for the future, as there were several students that were more knowledgable than me. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[rybanis]

A runner up? Yikes!<br /><br /><br />Yes, it is sad how little people know about the space program. I'm constantly trying to educate the people around me, though sometimes it seems like its a battle I cannot win <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[PistolPete]

I know what you mean. My section sergent in Korea was a firm believer that we didn't land on the moon. I spent many hours with him in the motor pool debating this to no effect. I just couldn't budge him. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Some people you never can convince <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[tronchaser]

You are right. They can not be convinced. I believe they are afraid of the unknown or the unexplained. Perhaps they do not trust the physics in the universe.