Doug wrote in message ...

Hey now... don't be too hard on the Engineering masters there at
NASA...The parachute may not have opened (unfortunatley) but the Genesis
probe collected three years' worth of data. It radioed a lot of that
back, filling more computers then we could probably count !!

Allow me to quote N.Cavuto:

"You know, we have a habit in this country of focusing on the bad and
not remembering the good. The good of a mission that's already given
scientists treasure troves of research on how we came to be and part of
a space program that has known its tragedies, but should appreciate far
more its triumphs: landing men on the moon, structures on mars and
capsules outside our solar system.

People have died in the pursuit of that knowledge and capsules have
crashed. But if we're to focus on the bad, we owe it to those who've
toiled to remember the good. Finding water on parts of this planet we
thought didn't have it and maybe the underpinnings of life on places we
didn't think could support it.

Me? I've just had it with those who say we don't have the right stuff
anymore.

Genesis took a mighty leap? then crashed. But I'd much sooner celebrate
our species' attempting that leap than never leaving the bonds of earth
at all."

HEAR HEAR!!... Good job NASA...you'll get 'em next time!

Thanks for the perspective. I was amazed at the pinpoint landing after
flying through space for 3 years.
--
Gene Seibel
Space Ship One - http://pad39a.com/gene/ss1.html
Because I fly, I envy no one - except Mike Melvill.