MSL problems aside -- and that is a big story -- the news of phylosillicates at Endeavor is awesome! It would certainly be great to ground truth orbital observations; that would greatly increase confidence that we'll find what we think we'll find at potential MSL sites. I would also be new chapter in the Meridiani story.

I wonder if this changes Oppy ops. It sure ups the ante on making it all the way to the crater. Huge new prize. I wonder if it's a big enough deal to be willing to forgo some science on the way there (i.e., meteorite hunting and other "routine" monitoring of what looks like already characterized terrain) in order to get the earliest possible arrival before anything else breaks. Tough call for the managers.