From: volker.hetzer@gmx.de   
      
   Marc 182 wrote:   
      
   > I don't disagree with you, and I don't want to second guess ESA and what   
   > they did, which was pull off a wonderful success. What I was thinking   
   > about is, what can you do in the initial phases of your planning to   
   > provide maximum benefit should your probe exceed nominal mission life?   
      
   In case they had done so and huygens had failed everybody would have   
   bashed them for bothering about "post mission" stuff instead of ensuring   
   that the mission itself gets done properly.   
      
   Beagle2 was such an afterthought. It was tacked onto mars express   
   because someone figured out there could be a few more kilos on the   
   orbiter.   
      
   Gladly it didn't cause mars express to fail but the pr desaster was   
   big enough nevertheless.   
      
   I don't know whether ESA or NASA overdesign with your thoughts in the   
   backs of their minds but if they were they sure wouldn't let on. Much   
   better to cash in (pr wise) on a surprisingly long mission than to get   
   bashed for a surprisingly short one.   
      
   Lots of Greetings!   
   Volker   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)