Mars Science Laboratory

[e-Male]

From NASA/JPL's SpotLight page
mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/spotlight/20080512.html

With a little more commentary at Gizmodo:
gizmodo.com/5064915/nasa-moving-forward-with-its-mars-nuclear-destroyer-lasertank

Following weeks of doubts about the future of the Mars Science Laboratory, the one-ton, nuclear powered, laser-shooting next generation of the waning Mars Phoenix, Lockheed Martin has shipped the vital "backshell" for the landing module, confirming that building is still under way.
...
A note to NASA: fitting your landing craft with terrifying death rays might make your "We Come in Peace" script sound slightly disingenuous.

Maybe someone should pass along a "heads up" to Old One? NASA's nothing if not persistent.

/e

[Caligastia Lanonandek]

Oh - I think he has the bases covered. You see, the prime reason for the US Government in establishing a Mars colony is so the leaders will have a place to run to after they screw everything up here and they call it science.

[e-Male]

Actually, Cal, I simply couldn't figure out which emoticon to use to indicate tongue-in-cheek for my comment about alerting Old One.

I fully expect to read about yet another mysteriously failed Mars rover. This one will be all the more baffling to NASA since they've got their little toy so souped up.

/e

[Parn]

Old One should probably capture it and then drop it at the front door step of one of the major government buildings during the Grand Tour.

[Caligastia Lanonandek]

Mars is a large and mostly empty planet. For us, its a mining and production facility and as long as no one's trying to drop nukes on us - we don't care what is done elsewhere.

The geniuses at Nasa, however, are off on the wrong track. You don't build structures above ground on Mars - you build them under ground or into the side of the mountain. The sand storms there are real killers. Also, there's plenty of water there but its all underground - so you have to drill for it unless you want to live at the poles and freeze your boo boo off.