When It Comes to Mars, I am Agnostic...

From the minute I first saw the Mariner 6 and 7 close-ups of Mars I was captivated. Mars had caught my imagination from a very young age. The wandering Red Planet of the night skies always intrigued me but now I saw Mars as never before, close at hand. Mariner 4  flew by Mars in July, 1965. The photos were fuzzy, low resolution, and indistinct but nevertheless very exciting. Mariner 6 and 7  flew past on July 31, 1969 and August 5, 1969 respectively. The photos now were more distinct and fascinating. A love affair with Mars had begun.

It was sheer magic and awe when in 1970, South Africans Frank Duminy, Brian Levitan, and I drove one October morning into the Mars Deep Space Tracking Station, Goldstone, California for the first time. We were dwarfed beneath this magnificent marvel of deep space technology...

It didn't take much imagination to wonder and ask, what on earth are we getting up to....for heaven's sake?

Much has happened since. Our attention has shifted from the Moon to Mars. One wonders why? Has it to do with its mysterious moon, Phobos? There has been much speculation surrounding Mars. We now know much more. The tenacious Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity have literally only scratched its ancient scarred surface. Now some are speculating whether the enigmatic Phobos isn't perhaps "artificial"!

You can read about it here...
Part 1: http://www.enterprisemission.com/Phobos.html
Part 2: http://www.enterprisemission.com/Phobos2.html

Is Phobos artificial? I am agnostic. I don't know. We are not 100% sure right now but we could know pretty soon with a Phobos landing planned within a couple of years. Till then I prefer to keep an open mind. It seems a little far fetched...but is it? There are stranger things out there. And if it is artificial, what then? Back in 1970 when I stood beneath the 210' Mars Dish Antenna, I certainly felt there was something more up there than might just meet the human eye!

©Colin G Garvie HomePage: http://www.garvies.co.za