I can't be the only one who always thinks of Doom when I hear "Phobos grunt"

Can't Elon Musk private-space his way to orbit and stay in a space hotel while he fixes it? Or just take the probe to Mars himself when he builds his mansion in Utopia Planitia? I mean, we totally have Star Trek level technology! For the species!!!!

Around and around she goes, where she lands nobody knows!

Its a shame that Russia failed, but on a brighter note Russia, ESA, and NASA were in Paris this month to talk about them joining the ESA/NASA mars mission that will be launched in 2016 if the countries taking part can bring everything together before then. They'd be providing the rocket ride if all goes as planned.

Er, at least I mean that next week they will be in Paris to talk about such. :P Still, everyone would get a Mars mission without all the costs. A good deal for all.

I want a sample and return. Where is the shuttle you need to go fix this thing? :(

I was really keen on investigating Phobos.

So far we've discovered the surface of Mars is exactly what any rational person expected, and i'm not sure what remains to be found there. If they keep acting surprised to find water, i may start raging.

rmify: I want a sample and return. Where is the shuttle you need to go fix this thing? :(

Curiosity is almost as good as a sample and return mission though!

I saw Curiosity launch live last weekend so I'm getting a kick . . .

Ok, ok, since you all insist on knowing why i'm so interested in Phobos that it overshadows my desire to talk about a possible past civilization on Mars that NASA is covering up, this is why. It sure sounds like he's talking about Phobos.

Lets just hope they didn't decide to explore it privately because none of you can handle the truth, and this tale about the probe failing is BS.

J. Frank Parnell: Ok, ok, since you all insist on knowing why i'm so interested in Phobos that it overshadows my desire to talk about a possible past civilization on Mars that NASA is covering up, this is why. It sure sounds like he's talking about Phobos.

J. Frank Parnell: Ok, ok, since you all insist on knowing why i'm so interested in Phobos that it overshadows my desire to talk about a possible past civilization on Mars that NASA is covering up, this is why. It sure sounds like he's talking about Phobos.

Lets just hope they didn't decide to explore it privately because none of you can handle the truth, and this tale about the probe failing is BS.

Ya Hoagland was balls deep into that theory on Coast the other day. It would be supremely cool if it turned out to be true. I won't hold my breath though.

J. Frank Parnell: Ok, ok, since you all insist on knowing why i'm so interested in Phobos that it overshadows my desire to talk about a possible past civilization on Mars that NASA is covering up, this is why. It sure sounds like he's talking about Phobos.

First off, there is such a thing as the Phobos monolith (new window). It's actually not a huge discovery (or new- it was first imaged in 1998)- so far as anyone can tell, it's just an unusually sized boulder. Still, it's probably worth investigating.

Secondly, speaking as an astrobiologist, and as someone who has worked with NASA via the NASA Astrobiology Institute, I can definitely attest to the fact that if there is any evidence of advanced civilizations on or around Mars, we've been kept in the dark about it (particularly since the lot of us would collectively give our right arm to study something like that).

Actually, assuming that against all evidence, there is a cover-up of this nature, it would have to be even further up than NASA- after all, the agency has been trying to drum up support for a manned mission to Mars since before Apollo ended, and I can't think of a better justification then "there are alien cities there."

/Studying Mars for my thesis
//Alien cities would be pretty cool, but, alas, bacteria is far more likely. If that.

spacermase: First off, there is such a thing as the Phobos monolith (new window). It's actually not a huge discovery

We still haven't investigated it up close, which is what Mr. Aldrin is suggesting we do. We can't glean any information other than it exists and is unusual from telescopes. And that's really just one of many anomalous things about Phobos. It might be the strangest object in orbit of any planet in our solar system. As for the evidence of advanced civilizations thing, you might find this interesting.

Like all astronauts, he's privy to information me and you are not, and they're genuinely good guys who keep trying to get the word out to the public about things NASA would rather remain silent about. He's not just randomly talking about Phobos, he has inside knowledge. Him and Neil Armstrong have both spoken about UFOs and aliens in interviews, and they weren't kidding at all.

If you find that hard to believe, and think such admissions would have rocked the world, here's another Apollo astronaut sharing some inside knowledge, which some of you may find pretty mind blowing. That happened over 3 years ago now, and yet the majority of the public still reacts to the subject with insults and a complete refusal to accept it. It's really no wonder they think the public isn't ready to know.

And just because i'm in a linking groove here, you might want to watch the entire Disclosure Project.

Boudyro: Ya Hoagland was balls deep into that theory on Coast the other day.

Stopped listening to Coast since Art left. George Noory has no business being on the radio. I'll hunt youtube for that segment, though. I don't agree with much of what Hoagland says, but now and then he hits the nail on the head.

Fluorescent Testicle: J. Frank Parnell: Ok, ok, since you all insist on knowing why i'm so interested in Phobos that it overshadows my desire to talk about a possible past civilization on Mars that NASA is covering up, this is why. It sure sounds like he's talking about Phobos.

[images.yuku.com.s3.amazonaws.com image 461x403]

Well it WAS aliens the last time.

bbfreak: rmify: I want a sample and return. Where is the shuttle you need to go fix this thing? :(

Curiosity is almost as good as a sample and return mission though!

Curiosity is awesome and I am glad that is looking well so far. Why did the Russian pick Phobos again is the famous picture above? I have no idea but anytime we can get a return sample it's a good thing. Hard to beat a curious little ape poking in the dirt for discovery.

I met a Farker at a London Fark party who worked at the ESA. I wonder if he's laughing at this thread.

Meanwhile, NASA's Mars probe went off without a hitch and will be providing us with pictures and all kinds of goodies from the surface of Mars after it lands in mid-August 2012.

Good job, guys!

Baron Harkonnen: spacermase: //Alien cities would be pretty cool, but, alas, bacteria is far more likely. If that.

If there's no life on Mars, then what's making methane? Is there any other chemically possible explanation? Just thought I'd ask an actual astro-biologist that question.

Oh, the methane, if it's there (and there is some debate about that), is probably biological in origin, though there is at least one abiotic process, serpentization, that could lead to it. It's worth noting, however, that serpentization requires liquid water to occur, so it would still be good news.

I for one am hoping that MSL will be able to not only detect the methane, but also be able to tell us if its isotopically fractionated or not (that is, if there's evidence it's being emitted by living organisms). It would be a huge boost to our field, as well as just being, you know, pure awesomeness.