NASA & ESA to join forces on Mars Missions.

[3488]

<p><font size="2"><strong>A very positive development. </strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>This is good news indeed.<br /></strong></font></p><p><font size="4"><strong>NASA & ESA to join forces on Mars Missions.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

<p>I wonder if this will mean that ExoMars maay become the sample return rover for theMSR mission?&nbsp; Or whether the cache container gets put back on MSL?</p><p>Jon</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I wonder if this will mean that ExoMars maay become the sample return rover for theMSR mission?&nbsp; Or whether the cache container gets put back on MSL?Jon <br />Posted by jonclarke</DIV><br /><br />This was announced during the MSL news conference. And no changes are intended to the MSL during the 2 year delay. The time will be used just for testing and problem resolution. That's what they said anyway. See my scribblenotes and Emily's blog in the MSL thread. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

<p>I know WSyne.&nbsp; But two years is a long time, the cache has been built and has no impact on the rest of the mission.&nbsp; So it might go back on.</p><p>Itr would be good if there were two different sample suites we could chose between when the time comes.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[dragon04]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>A very positive development. This is good news indeed.NASA & ESA to join forces on Mars Missions.&nbsp;Andrew Brown.&nbsp; <br /> Posted by 3488</DIV></p><p>This is really encouraging, IMO. There's always a lot of debate about whether space exploration should be co-operative or competitive, but as pointed out, as expensive a venture as space exploration is, I think the pooling of resources under an international joint venture is the best (and most efficient) way to go.</p><p>I try to look at this from a pragmatic point of view. We have the Americans spending their billion$. We have the ESA, the Russians, the Japanese, the Indians and the Chinese&nbsp; all spending THEIR billion$.</p><p>I won't argue that such a setup allows for a diversity that could lead to the best and most robust design for launchers and vehicles, but that aside, it seems a waste that "competing nations" are spending money doing the same thing in different ways when the money could be pooled and more could be done overall.</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>