[X] My Assistant

[Guest_BruceMoomaw_*]

...which I decided to attend literally at the last possible minute, which is why I didn't alert you guys in advance. Very interesting -- both the discussions about the likely design of the mission (and how to retrieve it from cancellation), and many of the actual science presentations (which aren't on the Web yet, although they probably soon will be). I'll give you some more information tomorrow -- although I can't resist telling Alex that Tom Spilker's subgroup took my ideas about a Europa penetrator, and the printed information I gave them on the subject, seriously enough to recommend making further inquiries to NASA HQ on it. (And without my browbeating them, either. Nyaah.) The case for it, however, is still extremely far from certain.

As I say, more tomorrow.

[dvandorn]

If we're going to delve into the realm of Looney Tunes physics, the answer for *any* lander is perfectly obvious.

You put your lander on a scale automobile. You put a very precisely measured amoutn of gas int he automobile. The car runs out of gas just an inch before crashing into the surface, stops dead (but perfectly intact) that one inch above the ground, your lander hops off, and the car *then* continues on to crash into smithereens.

I think we're researching the wrong propulsion fields -- we need to investigate alternate physics, concentrating on Looney Tunes physics. There are so many things to take advantage of there!

-the other Doug