Helicopters on Mars - A New Bar Set High

My question used to be, “Do you know that there were men walking around on the moon?” The question was always posed when dealing with a situation where a problem could not be solved. For me a good example was the inability of airports to provide access to electric outlets so that we could charge devices. It took years for airports to solve that problem while grown men and women were crawling around under chairs in search of an outlet. All the while I would suggest to airport personnel that if we could get to the moon, surely we can figure out how to get a few outlets. (BTW, what makes that lunar landing even more spectacular was the lack of technology. Those capsules were loaded with toggle switches and gauges with flickering dial hands. Nothing digital. Enormous courage.)

Now we are landing on Mars and flying helicopters around. The mind spins with the technology that must be involved there. I have a hard time flying a toy remote controlled helicopter in the backyard. That Mars helicopter has now set the bar even higher for dealing with the mundane here on earth.

The dashboard light on my car yells at me, telling me one of my tires is in need of air. The light refuses to go off. I know the tire is full of air and the sensor has been replaced twice yet the light continues to flash at me with dire threats if I don’t pull over. This is a time to invoke the helicopters on Mars example of incredible innovation and problem solving. I do, and the light is still on.

Never in the history of the universe has technology been so inventive, creative and helpful. Helicopters on Mars is a unique example. Sometimes I just wish it was closer to home.