It really is a fantastic feat of engineering. I've witnessed it at close-range, over the last few months. Over a number of years, I've come across folks workin

It really is a fantastic feat of engineering. I've witnessed it at close-range, over the last few months. Over a number of years, I've come across folks working on an array of missions that literally blow my mind (e.g., Cassini-Huygens, New Horizons, MESSENGER). The Mars Curiosity rover is another example of insane engineering. Yes it was over budget, yes there were many technical difficulties (e.g., the wear on the tyres), but landing using the sky-crane absolutely deserves to be heralded as a fantastic feat of engineering. I haven't played KSP myself, but I'm glad to hear that it's providing gameplay that offers insights into the fundamental difficulties of operating in space. I'm going to be leading a project from January to study and simulate on-orbit proximity operations to actively remove discarded rocket bodies in Low-Earth Orbit using a robotic arm. There's so much prep work that goes into missions like these; I wish we scientists & engineers did a better job of communicating the challenges faced and the innovative solutions that are thought up. I have had the pleasure of working with colleagues who amaze me time and again. So now, keep your fingers crossed for Hayabusa [1] in a couple of days. If only we could sustain the excitement, motivation, and sheer wonder that these missions create, the budget for space exploration and planetary science wouldn't have to keep shrinking. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa_2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa_2