Figueroa and Weiler both said one objective of the reevaluation of the long-term plan is to make sure any future sample return mission has the best chance of hitting scientific paydirt by deepening understanding of the planet before a sample site is selected.

"We're not sure what the timing of the missions will be," Weiler said of the 2010 decade. "Let's find out what we can learn from Mars Odyssey. It's just starting science this week. It's up there now. We have two active orbiters around Mars [including Mars Global Surveyor launched in 1996]. We have two missions in '03. The French have missions in '07. It's an international program. We'll learn a lot about Mars in the next three to five years. Let's lay out 2010 closer to 2010."

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I wish the French could be there a bit sooner though. *g*

Marcia