New Mars Forums

Thomas Martianson

Banned

From: Yakima, WA. USA

Registered: 2005-06-01

Posts: 11

Re: Sell Mars to the Public - PR needs more priority in site selection

I'm sure we all have noticed how public interest in Mars spikes whenever there is a lander mission that provides the public with pictures of the Martian surface.
I know that mission criteria is centered on two over-riding priorities: mission scientific returns and safety of the space-craft. This makes sense financially and logistically however I beleive the public's interest and therefore support could be pumped with a bit more eye-candy. There are, as we all know, spectacular vistas on Mars, but the impression that the layman gets is of a static and often flat environment (Viking's Chryse and Utopia, Oppurtunity's Meridiani). The most topographical excitement that we have had have been Path-Finder's Twin Peaks and Spirit's Columbia Hills; both of which are cool but pale in comparison to the vistas the public could be shown: The mesas of Arabia Terra or Aeolis, the canyons of Gorgornum Chaos, the ridges and dunefields of Memnonia Sulci; the Black Dunes of Proctor; not to mention Mariner Valley.
  These places may not meet the criteria that is currently being followed but I feel that showing the public these places would be proceeded by an increase in public support and thus funding due to the excitement that they would generate.

hubricide

Member

Registered: 2004-07-26

Posts: 49

Re: Sell Mars to the Public - PR needs more priority in site selection

I agree.  I believe that a key problem currently is that such places are much more dangerous areas to land than nice flat plains.  I imagine that as time passes we will create more intelligent vehicles that can examine their landing site as they approach and find a good spot to land, as well as simply being more amenable to trickier spots.

It's possible, too, that humans will reach Mars before any probes are rigorous enough to land anywhere rough, and then they can just walk over and take pictures themselves. 

reddragon

Banned

From: Earth

Registered: 2005-01-24

Posts: 193

Re: Sell Mars to the Public - PR needs more priority in site selection

The orbital probes have returned some good photos like what you suggest. I've seen a particularly good one of Mons Olympus for instance.

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Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.

             -The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
              by Douglas Adams

Thomas Martianson

Banned

From: Yakima, WA. USA

Registered: 2005-06-01

Posts: 11

Re: Sell Mars to the Public - PR needs more priority in site selection

Yes there have been many good shots taken from orbit but that is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about landers.
When I show friends or family pictures from orbit, their response is tepid, perhaps because they don't know how to interpret the image. When Spirit and Oppurtunity landed however, there was: "wow, ooh. ahh!"
I think the more oohs and ahhs can be generated the more funding space exploration is likely to get and that means risking landing attempts in more interesting areas.