Washington diary

摘要

Earlier this month, NASA had something to celebrate. Independence Day, 4 July, marked the fifth anniversary of Pathfinder, the plucky little spacecraft that didn't so much land on Mars as bounce-down on it. The spacecraft used a new air-bag cushioning system to protect it after retro-rockets and parachutes had slowed its descent. The mission was a stunning success. Not only did all the hardware work as planned, but NASA brass could brag that Pathfinder was one of the least expensive planetary missions ever, costing less that $200 million.