I was wondering how the MER package would integrate with a Falcon 9 rocket for eventual future Mars exploration on the (relatively) cheap?
My idea is that they'd dust off the old blueprints of the MER's at JPL, build a couple of them, integrate them (transit stage, EDL package and all) on top of a Dragon 9 and then fire it off towards Mars. Would be a proven exploration package with no extra research needed, sent off on a (hopefully) cheap and reliable rocket.
Does the MER heatshield fit inside the proposed Falcon 9 fairing? Could it carry one of maybe even two MER's?
Do you think we could get Musk and JPL interested in the idea?