Today’s front page story on Spirit arriving at Mars provide for a welcome afternoon chuckle.
After an entirely correct, and likely regurgitated explaination of the mission:
“Spirit is one of two $410 million U.S. robotic spacecraft on the way, equipped with cameras and instruments to search for evidence that cold, arid Mars may once have been wet and warm enough for some form of life.”
Emphasis mine.
Then later on in the article they discuss plunging through the thin atmosphere and ludicrously add:
“Spirit still will be moving at 1,000 mph, leaving a long contrail in its wake.”
For those unfamiliar with the atmospheric physics, a contrail (a condensation trail) is caused by airplanes (or anything else hurling through the atmosphere) causing high pressure on their leading edge which causes evaporated water vapor to be forced to condensate into tiny liquid water molecules, also well known for making clouds.
Apparently Mark Carreau didn’t get that far in high school science.
Cached article: