Launch of the Curiosity rover in 2011, heading for Mars
all across the solar system as you are standing there.
Phoenicians of the modern era. We are exploring
So you will be seeing – depending on the time you
the world and the universe which is around us, on
walk in – data coming from the rovers on Mars, or
your behalf, so you all will get to know the nature
from spacecraft around Saturn, or from spacecraft
of the universe which is around us.
around Jupiter. As you are standing in that room...
About 10 months ago we landed a car-sized
and it’s very humbling to see what humanity has
rover on Mars, called Curiosity. Let me tell you
accomplished by sending spacecraft across the solar
about the challenges of getting to Mars – one is the
system...
distance to be travelled. If a Phoenician ship was
People tell me I have the best job in the world,
sailing towards Mars, it would take 10,000 years to
and I tell them you’re right, I do have the best job in
get there... If I was driving in my car, like a typical
the world – because every day we have a new
Lebanese driver, at very high speed, not caring
discovery, every day we are doing something new,
about the speed limit, it would take me 175 years to
every day we are exploring... In a sense we are the
get to Mars... That will give you an idea of