[Coco] Re: off-topic, space program

[Roger Taylor]

At 06:40 PM 1/14/2004 -0600, you wrote:
>jdaggett at gate.net wrote:
>
>>Brad
>>I rather had more far reaching visions. I would like to see at least a 
>>unman probe to Saturn's Moon Titan. We already have one scheduled for 
>>Europa. Titan is interesting, it is larger than the planet Mercury and 
>>has an atmosphere. Be nice to get a view of Saturn Rising on a frosty 
>>morning of about -270 degrees F.
>>james
>
>James,
>
>You're not going to have to wait very long. The Saturn probe Cassini is 
>scheduled to release a probe that will hopefully land on Titan next 
>January. It's not known whether the probe will touch down on land or an 
>ocean of methane. Very cool - both literally and figuratively.
>
>http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
>
>Europa also deserves some special attention because of the possibility of 
>life in the ocean beneath the icy crust.


I think what's cool is when and if they find bacteria or other small 
lifeform on Mars.  Actually, this will change everything and will be the 
mother of all shocks.  What's not so cool is how long it is taking to do 
all this.  We've had things sitting on Mars taking samples and pictures 
since I was a little boy, and all of a sudden these NEW photos are supposed 
to amaze me?  On top of that, we're told that by 2020 or 2030 we might be 
smart enough to know how to send a man over to Mars like they did to the 
moon back in 68 for crying out loud.  I could chew up a box of nails after 
hearing Bush give his little 2 minute speech today.  However, putting the 
timeline aside, I will look forward to study this new exploration 
spacecraft thing... *but* if it resembles the dern space shuttle at all, 
we'll know it was all a sugar-coated way of saying, "we're replacing the 
flawed shuttle design, and we've lost decades of time and taxpayers money".


----------
Roger Taylor