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back to article ESA picks final two ExoMars landing site candidates

The European Space Agency has narrowed its candidate list of landing sites for the ExoMars rover to two choices. ExoMars should fly in the year 2020 and will carry a rover and a stationary observer to the Red Planet. The big question is where to land both. The ESA prefers locations that offer opportunities to explore hitherto …

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  1. MyffyW Silver badge

    Mawrth Vallis

    ESA - if you need a volunteer to start the first National Milk Bar on Mars don't be too proud to ask.

    1 0 Reply
  2. Pen-y-gors

    Mawrth Vallis

    Da iawn, bois!

    But if they were going to do a proper job of naming, maybe they shouldn't mix Latin and Welsh - how about Dyffryn Mawrth or Cwm Mawrth? Or even, to encourage settlers, Cwm Mawrthlon?

    Either way, does that mean that it comes under the jurisdiction of the Welsh Assembly? Can we send the Welsh 'Leavers' there to establish a new colony - Patagonia was very successful!

    6 0 Reply
  3. Putters

    Either way, you can bet those alien organisms will refuse to speak any other language than Welsh should there be any English components in that rover ...

    3 0 Reply
  4. Simon Harris

    A tenuous link...

    but when you said Welsh corner of Mars, I thought they were planning to revisit the Beagle 2 site.

    Colin Pillinger was a graduate of Swansea University.

    3 0 Reply
    1. MyffyW Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: A tenuous link...

      @Simon_Harris

      Tenuous indeed, but full marks for cultural appropriation from this particular Cymruphile.

      1 0 Reply
  5. frank ly

    Google Maps link

    I had a look. It has some kind of false colour satellite view but no road maps and no street view. It really is a backwater.

    4 0 Reply
    1. Francis Boyle Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      No street view

      Maybe we could get ESA to scatter a few wifi access points around the place while they're there.

      1 0 Reply
    2. phuzz Silver badge
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      Trollface

      Re: Google Maps link

      "It really is a backwater."

      Mars or Wales?

      4 0 Reply
    3. Pen-y-gors
      Reply Icon

      Re: Google Maps link

      Good description of rural Powys.

      1 0 Reply
  6. the Jim bloke

    property values skydive

    .. in anticipation of upcoming lithobraking events

    0 0 Reply

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