Online Public Relations Thoughts

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which built the most recent Mars rover, Perseverance, loaded the machine, the parachute and other parts of the assembly with Easter Eggs for space fans to decipher.  Call it engineers having fun, but also call it great PR.  It is a reminder to the world that NASA and JPL have figured out the difficult logistics of landing on Mars and lead all other space agencies in exploring the planet.  The delivery method was insanely complex but necessary to ensure a soft drop of the SUV-sized robot on the surface.  For the first time, engineers and the world received video of the whole landing beginning with the heat shield and parachute that slowed the capsule from 12,000 miles per hour.  It is captivating to watch and in doing so, one is enveloped in the ethos of NASA and JPL.  It is enough to make tens of thousands of youngsters dream of growing up and working for them.