Wasnt the ESA deeply involved in the rover mission?

Gunner wrote:
On Mon, 2 Jan 2006 18:43:50 -0000, "tg"
wrote:


I say the following as an Englishman, born and living in the UK.
The americans have again proven themselves the masters of technology and craftmanship. Tonight on the news was a story about NASA's
Spirit and Opportunity mission on Mars. Those little robots are still going two years after landing - well beyond their expected
sell-by date. Well done America, I applaud your technical exellence.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051230...NlYwMlJVRPUCUl

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Nearly two years after landing on the Red Planet,
NASA exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity continue to send back amazing images and information about Mars in a mission long
outpacing expectations.

Since landing on opposite sides of Mars in January 2004, the US space agency's two robotic explorers have plowed over five
kilometers (three miles) of the planet's surface and sent back more than 130,000 pictures, many of them stunning depictions of a
desolate, arid but highly varied landscape.

The two also continue to reveal Mars' geological secrets, digging into soil and overturning rocks to provide evidence that water
once featured on the planet's surface, creating possibly habitable conditions.

But what has equally pleased the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is that the two rovers have far exceeded their
90-day missions, lasting through one full Mars year -- 669 Mars days, the equivalent of 687 Earth days.





"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner