It's all but certain that we've lost the amazing Mars Global Surveyor craft and with it, Mike Malin's wonderful Mars Orbiter Camera, but not without an inspiring going away present.
Recent analysis of images taken by the MOC last year show what appears to be recent and radical changes in gully formation that appear to have been caused by the flow of large amounts of water on the surface of Mars.
Posted by: Jesse Ruderman | December 6, 2006 9:39 PM
Hi,it seems that water is the mastermind behind every planet formation.And for Mike, losing such a camera full of mysterious clicks is a sad incidence.
raj
encoders
http://www.encoders.co.in
Posted by: raj4encoders | December 6, 2006 10:21 PM
Those responsible for allowing liquid water to escape from the underground aqueduct to the surface of Mars were canned immediately after the 2001 incident. The martian government feels that it is critical to hide the presence of life on Mars from the menacing human race for as long as possible. It takes years to prepare adequately for an interplanetary war, and they hope to keep humans' interest in Mars down by keeping the surface free of liquid water and otherwise making the planet appear inhospitable.
When martians realized that MGS might be able to detect geographical changes resulting from the incident, they scrambled to destroy the craft. But it takes quite a bit of planning to destroy an orbiting spacecraft without giving your presence away. It appears they were too slow; MGS had already detected the incident. Now martians can only hope we interpret the photographs incorrectly -- or take the risky move of an early first strike against our planet.