Jim Carson

NASA faces a difficult challenge in keeping people interested in missions spanning more than a week. For example, when the Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, first landed, I was glued to the set, interested in every minute detail. Since then, my interest has waned considerably. Reading about something scientific being done to a random rock on Mars ranked below Juror Number Four and learning more about fungi on my interest scale.

As a science-junkie, I feel bad about this. But looking at the site this morning, NASA seems to be trying too hard to be cutesie. For example, consider this morning's updates on the two probes:

Spirit update: Rats in "New York" -- [...] grinding into the target "New York" on the rock named "Mazatzal." [...] The "wake up song" today was Boy from New York City by Manhattan Transfer.

Opportunity update: Opportunity and "The Lion King" -- [...]The rover team dubbed it the "Lion King Panorama" because it is a look around Opportunity's domain from a high vantage point [...] The wake up song for sol 60 was The Circle of Life by Elton John

Upon seeing this, my first thought was "Wake up songs? WTF?" Okay, I don't think they're wasting valuable resources (and risking the ire of the RIAA) beaming mp3s over, but this is one of those internal development group culture nyuk nyuks that ought to stay in within the development team.

There are some cool photos that have dampened any interest I had for visiting - or, as some who know me might say, "going back to my homeworld." Now that they've announced water once existed, and it was in a standing body, I think any additional data gathered is a bonus, so maybe the PR folks don't need sex up the mundane aspects of the mission with headlines like:

First Interplanetary Brushing of a Rock!
or
First piece of intergalactic space garbage that looks like a wascly space wabbit!