Keep on Rovin'

Remember the Mars Rover's. I'll be t you don't right away. They've been up of Mars exploring, and taking amazing pictured for over 6 years. Check it out:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20100519.html

The wonder of it is, there was fear at first that the rovers wouldn't work at all. But Spirit and Opportunity overcame early glitches, and have been working hard for us years past their expected life of 90 days.

Imagine if our gadgets here on Earth lasted 24 times as long as expected. No more disposable technology. No more DVD players that crap out after a year, or cell phones that die just before your contract is up.

If could happen, if we manufactured things to last. We don't. We let the lowest bidder manufacture our goods. We let the lowest bidder support our technology. We let the lowest bidder do way too much.

That works out well if you are in the Chinese ruling class, or a Wal-Mart executive. Not so much if you are a consumer, or out of work american who trained as an IT professional, or manufacturing engineer.

Meanwhile, Spirit and Opportunity, those aptly named gadgets, manufactured by NASA engineers, keeps on truckin. The space shuttles, designed in the late 1960's, first launched in the 1980's could keep flying for another decade if we'd let them.

Spirit and Opportunity, what names. What we could learn if we just stayed focused on a goal. The opportunities lie there, waiting for us. We have the spirit, we always have. Mankind has always looked to the stars. We just lack leaders with the vision to see it through.

It's time to Boldly Go.