Posted on 08/13/2012 5:23:16 PM PDT by BenLurkin
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE (CBSLA.com) — President Barack Obama says he wants to be notified without delay if the Mars rover Curiosity finds Martians – “even if they’re just microbes.”
The president called Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists and researchers Monday to congratulate them on the rover’s progress.
“You guys should be remarkably proud,” he said during the call. “It’s really what makes us best as a species…this curiosity we have and this yearning to discover and know more and push the boundaries of knowledge. You are perfect examples of that and we couldn’t be more grateful to you.”
The rover touched down on Mars after a 36-week, 154-million-mile journey capped by a highly complex but well-executed landing sequence. During its two-year, $2.5 billion mission, Curiosity will search for signs that Mars might have once had water and other conditions necessary to support life. It will also be used to determine if the planet might be able to support life in the future.
“Through your dedicated efforts, Curiosity stuck the landing and captured the imagination and attention of millions of people, not just around the country, but people all around the world,” Obama said. “It’s really mind-boggling what you’ve been able to accomplish.”
The president told the NASA scientists to “please let me know right away” if contact is made with Martians. As the group laughed, he said that he has a lot on his plate but, “I suspect that will go to the top of the list, even if they’re just microbes.”
NASA says Curiosity is now undergoing a “brain transplant” to update its software in preparation for lab experiments and travel across the planet.
They'll put you on the mailing list.
WOW! What an opportunity for the JPL to make a statement. The JPL must have quietly said okay, when they should have come down like a ton of bricks.
Maybe JPL can let US know if they find intelligent life in the White House.
Well just ask Sheila Jackson, who does he think maintains the plot around the American flag the Astronauts planted?
Maybe this is that 3AM phone call that Hillary was talking about.
I am still waiting for BO to say “We are going to the sun, we will go at night when it isn’t as hot”.
If he doesn’t jobama probably will.
“Even if they are microbes”?
I think we can be self-assured that, if there is life on Mars, that is a given that microbial life is all there will be.
He is looking for his Obamartian ancestors that came here as slaves.
No Odungo, but they found your college transcripts..........
ROFL!
Hey Zer0, they were hiding in plain sight.
“Let me know if you find any Martians... They haven’t been paying their taxes.”
Why? He'd still have to use his teleprompter to talk to them.
That’s just wrong! Go back to your room.
rocket broom, latest model
I am stunned that Charles Bolden, the head of NASA, has turned out the way he did (or at least the way he appears to me)
He was a Marine, a pilot, and an astronaut.
Yet, here he is, acting like an affirmative action appointment to head up NASA. I hate that it sounds that way, but how on earth else can one justify his actions in his current job? It makes no sense to me.
How could someone like this implement the policies of the Obama administration?
The whole ridiculous issue of “muslim outreach” aside, I suspect I am not the only one baffled by this man. I stayed up to watch the landing, and when it was successful, someone with his clipboard wielding secretary walked in to the control center (It looked like him, though the stream was grainy) and was roundly ignored.
He looked like he was trying to find people to celebrate with, and he and his secretary appeared to be ignored by everybody. It looked awkward.
Perhaps some other Freeper has some knowledge of this situation at NASA they can share. I would like to think I am mistaken on this...I have a lot of respect for the USMC, and this guy was career, but what the hell? Additionally...his son’s middle name is “Che”. WTF?
No, Bam wants the Martians to each contribute $3 to his re-election campaign and he’ll enter them into a contest...
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