LJ wrote:
Hopefully Odyssey will continue to add pieces to the puzzle solution.

Alex wrote:
Possibly, but do not get your hopes up. THEMIS may return some novel mineralogical data higher spatial scales and GRS will give (albeit at very low spatial resolution) the first global maps of elemental abundances. However, how this remote sensing mission will impact the ALH84001 debate is unclear to me. What is need are sample studies (either in situ or returned).

LJ writes:
I was thinking of the puzzle of possible life on Mars - didn't the mind link come through? :)
I think you'll agree that some of the Odyssey data will help point in one direction or the other regarding the past/current water situation on Mars, which in turn has a bearing on the possiblity of past or current life.

In that vein, given the indication already from Odyssey that there may be hydrogen near the surface away from the poles, are there any other reasonable materials that could bear hydrogen, other than water?

Sample studies will be amazing, if we ever get to that point. I think we will, but like money owed to you, it never comes soon enough. If I were Bill Gates (or even J.K. Rowling)...