I celebrate (I think) Perseverance touching down on Mars. 2 QQs that are unanswered:
when this robot's life is done, what happens to the hardware? are we spreading Earth junk in space? Is littering allowed on Mars?
what if the same thing happened to Earth? Would we accept an extra-terrestrial object from an unknown world plopping down somewhere to observe us and collect data?
I don't mind space exploration, but I want scientists to observe the park guideline: "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints". Mars isn't "ours" to use.
2021-02-20T16:02:06Z
Just to complicate everything: I have no problem with NASA/ Congress codifying a new set of laws: "extraterrestrial law"
joedlh2021-02-19T15:00:28Z
An extraterrestrial object wouldn't last a day if it landed in a habitable location on Earth. It would be cut up and auctioned on Ebay. That's what humans do.
I get your point. But the problem is , there's no way to bring things back. Otherwise they would ha r brought back samples. No, we wouldn't like ETs .leaving junk here. And Mars is getting cluttered. There are 10 landers/former landers, still there. A bigger problem, would be territorial demands made by various countries. I know China is planning a manned moon mission for mid 2028, or so. Will there be wars,?
>>I celebrate (I think) Perseverance touching down on Mars. Me too.
>>2 QQs that are unanswered: >>when this robot's life is done, what happens to the hardware?Like Sojourner, and Spirit, and Opportunity before her, when Perseverance shuts down, it'll remain where it is on the Martian surface until some future mission finds & moves it. >>are we spreading Earth junk in space? Have you seen how much stuff is wooshing around over our heads? Yes, we're spreading junk - but, it's very expensive *clean* junk. >>Is littering allowed on Mars?Don't think of it as litter; instead, think of it as markers left by us to be utilized by future explorers. >>what if the same thing happened to Earth? Have you seen the Earth... It's happening A LOT. >>Would we accept an extra-terrestrial object from an unknown>>world plopping down somewhere to observe us and collect data?Are you kidding??? We'd go *gaga* over the thing. It's evidence that advanced intelligence exists beyond Earth; it's going to be radioing back it's findings, and we could possibly decipher how to communicate with an extraterrestrial people... it means that Mankind is not alone in the universe. I guess I have to hope they don't land their rover in the ocean... >>I don't mind space exploration, Well, that's better than hating it... sorta. >>but I want scientists to observe the park guideline: "take >>nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints". But Perseverance doesn't *have* feet.... >> Mars isn't "ours" to use.I fully disagree with this, but that's another debate.