Mars

In case you have not heard, NASA safely landed the rover "Curiosity" on Mars this last Sunday.

I somehow suspect "hovering sky crane" was not the first idea proposed to land safely on Mars, but it may have won out because it sounds so cool.  It actually extra exciting that engineers came up with this idea, because that means that this option is probably the most simple and elegant solution possible.  And that, my friends, makes me glimpse the complexity of the challenge of having a one ton delicate instrument land itself on Mars.  Color me impressed.

Finally these scientist can let out the breath they've been holding since last fall.  To them, I say congratulations.

I can't wait to see more pictures from the surface of Mars and to hear about more data as it starts returning back.  More information gathered --> more questions answered --> new bigger questions asked.

Science is great.

~Claire Out.