MARS

I was up early yesterday morning, from 1:00 to 2:00 am, tuned into NASA TV.  It was interesting but nothing like July 21, 1969.  An expensive piece of hardware, called Curiosity, was at risk in this week's Mars landing; three men were at risk in the first lunar landing mission. 

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on our Moon on July 20, 1969; stayed on the surface for 21 hours and 31 minutes and ventured out of their lunar lander, called Eagle, only once - for 2 hours 31 minutes.  The Mars lander is capable of motoring around Mars for many years - it is powered by an atomic engine.  I would guess that in a month or two, we'll become bored with pictures of the Red Planet - unless we see little green men running around.

:-)