Online Public Relations Thoughts

 NASA's Mars helicopter has just completed its first flight on the planet.  It is a breakthrough moment for exploration and similar to the Wright brother's first flight in their wood and canvas plane.  It is also a PR coup.  PR is what you do and are rather than what you say about yourself.  NASA and JPL have smashed one record after another in Mar's exploration and the flight just adds to the lengthy list of firsts.  At this rate, there is no hurry to get man to the planet, especially since it will be so difficult to do.  Someday, earthlings will walk on Mars but perhaps not in my lifetime.  Meanwhile, robotic rovers and helicopters can return terabytes of information about the planet.  We will get to know Mars as well as we know the moon, and if all works right, we will have Martian soil on earth in a few years when another rover will pick up vials of dirt from the surface and return them to earth.  Kudos to NASA and JPL once again.