ROVER! Sit. Stay. Good Rover.

image - JPL

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/jpl-mer20100126vod.html

For a kid who got to stare into the cold, clear skies in the Virginia Appalachians and learn the names of the planets, stars and constellations and then grow up with humanity's first primitive and heroic baby steps into the places nearest our little home planet, NASA has been the source of great images, excitement and amusement.
I have known NASA scientists and relished their stories. Some worked on the pieces and parts of the orbiting capsules. Others worked for Dow Corning and developed the heat shields that made a safe reentry into our atmosphere possible (also inventing Corelle as a byproduct) - a nice way to end a scientific mission. Others worked at the remote listening posts around the globe: Australia and Madagascar.
I have my trusty Pickett slide rule and abacus in my laptop bag - just to quadruple check things - and to show off at times.
It was amazing how the very idea of rockets and space travel was so much more noble than the dark side of ICBMs and hydrogen warheads - same delivery systems, different payload.
Today we celebrate the life of one of NASA's greatest successes: ROVER!
This breadbox on wheels was to be a short-lived mission to learn something about the surface of Mars. In three months it was to travel a bit, poke and look around and give us some more hints about the Martian surface. Then it would die.
That was six years ago.
If you visit the site at the top of this post you can read some incredible stories from the team that had a three-month task that has turned into a career.
Rover is now a stationary lab. It can't limp anymore. It can't drag its broken wheel and leave a furrow in the Martian surface, but Rover is still there.
Sometimes the Martian wind blows and covers its solar panels with dust and reduces its power. Then the wind blows the dust off and Rover comes back to life.
Rover has been stuck for months. The team has asked for help from everyone on this planet for suggestions on how to get Rover moving again. THAT is a team of humble scientists.
I thought that this would be a great way for AAA to get some great press, but they have to pay for their NASCAR sponsorships. But, it would be cool. AAA, giving Rover a push! Come on guys!
Just now I am getting my grandkids to look through a telescope into the heavens. I want them to get excited when they see Saturn's rings with their own eyes and learn to name the stars, planets and constellations.
The digital refit of the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill (http://www.moreheadplanetarium.org/) could not have come at a better time. Many blessings on GSK for their support of this project. The Zeiss optical projector had done so much for so many - but its day has passed. But those hand-ground lenses are still the very best ever.
One of these days there will be a human colony on the moon. Baby steps. Then, there will be people on Mars.
I hope they take along a slide rule, just in case their batteries fail and I hope they don't run over Rover, one of the fine tools that helped get them there. tim www.timjohnsonphoto.com