"Jack Harrison" wrote in message
...

"Ron" wrote
MESSENGER's voyage includes three flybys of
Mercury in 2008 and 2009 and a yearlong orbit of the planet starting in
March 2011.

I wonder if I am alone in finding this time scale a little depressing.

There are so many discoveries being made at the minute (ammonia = life???
Mars???) that I might well curl up my toes before the really interesting
results are available. In 2011, I will be 72. I hope to still be around
then to find out what Messenger discovers, but these long lead times are a
little worrying.

I suppose there's a parallel with the old days when building a Cathedral
was
started in one century but not completed until two hundred years later.
You
need faith.

If I don't live long enough to find out about our encounter with
intelligence on Beta Pictoris C/2 (or wherever) than at least on my death
bed, I will have the knowledge that my own generation was trying (yes, at
times, very trying)

Jack


you brits sound as if you've caught the american disease of demanding
instant
gratification. No doubt you've been spoiled by recent successes. In 1997,
when Cassini launched, 2004 seemed like a mighty long time away. But here it
is and we're still alive! Space exploration builds on the successes of
previous
generations. There's always going to be something more down the road. You
can't see it all right now. Be grateful for what you've got.

rj