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From the Executive DirectorPhoenix Lands -- A Sign of Optimism
June 2 , 2008 Phoenix landing in the Martian arctic was truly amazing, as was seeing The Planetary Society's first Martian library, Visions of Mars, finally reach the surface of Mars. We created this project to honor those who have inspired us in the past by sending their works to the future. And -- right here, right now -- we can see it on Mars! High adventure, great drama, and never-before-seen views are moving experiences, and I find Mars landings especially moving. I believe Mars is the world on which we will determine if we will become -- or not become -- a multi-planet species. Phoenix is only the sixth successful Mars landing. That's like looking back to the year 1500 in the exploration of the Americas, or the year 1909 in the Earth's arctic. We're just getting started with our off-Earth voyages, so, it will probably be some time before our destiny is determined. I believe that optimism is one of the greatest benefits of space exploration. Phoenix was born out of the failure of Mars Polar Lander in 1999 -- and learning from that failure and trying once again to reach a polar region of Mars was certainly an optimistic venture.
Visions of Mars also exemplifies optimism: our first attempt to send Visions of Mars was lost at sea during the launch failure of Mars ’96, but we kept the project alive and -- 16 years later -- finally got it to its intended destination. And, by leaving this disc on Mars for future human explorers, we are making a statement of great optimism about humankind's efforts to create a positive future for space exploration. We celebrated this optimistic spirit with many hundreds of our members in Pasadena at Planetfest ’08 and with many thousands of supporters online. At Planetfest ’08, we gathered to witness the dramatic landing of the Phoenix spacecraft and see the first views of the Martian arctic. The signature moment of Planetfest '08 was the moment of landing. The cheer from the crowd was reminiscent of a walk-off home run in baseball or the appearance of a rock star at a concert -- as it should be. Planetfest also connected space explorers with the public: NASA Administrator Mike Griffin, JPL Director Charles Elachi, Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project Manager Jim Erickson, all stopped by and spoke to the crowd at Planetfest. Representative John Culberson (R-TX) dropped in to say some words at our Visions of Mars press conference. Planetary Society Board members Bill Nye the Science Guy and Jim Bell spent the whole day with us -- as did many other friends, colleagues, and members of the Society. Generous sponsors of the event -- with lead funding from Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp and Citizens Business Bank -- helped underwrite Planetfest ’08. Thank you, sponsors. Just before the Planetfest program began, we held the largest meeting ever (in person and via the telephone) of our New Millennium Committee, including some attendees from overseas. The New Millennium Committee is a special group of Planetary Society supporters whose long-range vision permits us to fund projects -- some of which may take decades to be realized -- that invest in a hopeful future for us as a space-faring species. With that mindset, the committee discussed the Moon and Mars, ideas for engaging future generations of explorers, and encouraged us to continue our efforts with the solar sail and with advancing the goal of human exploration beyond Earth orbit. Planetfest ’08 took a lot effort from our staff and volunteers, and I thank all who helped to make it happen. In particular, I thank the can-do spirit and steadfast optimism of our Financial Director Lu Coffing, who organized and ran a great Planetfest. A good time was had by all. Comments? We welcome your opinions on this subject. Send us email! |
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