NASA’s Administrator, Charles Bolden, has recorded a video for the employees of his agency, encouraging them to share excitement over the Curiosity rover’s upcoming August 2012 landing on Mars. It’s called, ‘Go Curiosity.’
The video announces a press kit available to NASA employees, so that they can talk about the mission with friends and neighbors.
There is reason to be excited – the rover is larger than others before it, and will be able to perform a more thorough series of experiments than earlier ones. America remains at the forefront of planetary exploration; we’ve reason for pride.
I’m not sure what to make of the video, though: does NASA have an employee enthusiasm problem? It’s hard to tell. Administrator Bolden speaks about the project in a way that seems to hope (but not expect) that NASA employees will be excited.
They should be – the exploration of the natural order offers an increase in knowledge, and the experience of beauty, even when one explores a world so distant and forbidding.
Go Curiosity!
Published originally on 7.11.12 at Daily Adams.