Why is NASA so interested in Mars? Consider the Bonneville Salt
Flats NASA’s Curiosity Rover survived its 7 Minutes of Terror
and touched down successfully on the Red Planet’s surface late
last night. Watching NASA TV’s live coverage of the event was
exciting for two reasons. First, it was a raw peek into the
minds of the scientists and engineers who have eaten, slept, and
breathed this mission for years. Relief, exhaustion, elation–
all on uninhibited display. I’m always amazed by the ordinary-
looking people who figure out how to shoot something into space
and make it land on an alien world in one piece. That first
image of the Martian surface was priceless; the awkward high
fives in JPL’s Mission Control last night were even more so.
Second, the event was punctuated by a renewed interest in Mars
and the U.S. space program in general. Most NASA followers would
acknowledge that public interest in launches and missions has
waned considerably over the years. What’s more, to much of the
space community, the demi