"John Cody" wrote in message
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UPI Exclusive: Bush OKs new moon missions
By Frank Sietzen Jr. and Keith L. Cowing
United Press International

The first manned Mars expeditions would attempt to orbit the red
planet in advance of landings -- much as Apollo 8 and 10 orbited the
moon but did not land. The orbital flights would conduct photo
reconnaissance of the Martian surface before sending landing craft,
said sources familiar with the plan's details.

What exactly would be the point of this? Anyone?


Normally, I would agree with you wholeheartedly on this one.

But a presence on the moon or in the belt could be that payoff we've all
been waiting for manned space flight to make for the last forty or so years.
Especially if that presence is an industrial/corporate one.

Doc