N.A.S.A. Launches Ill-Fated Mission To Mercury!

This afternoon, our space-agency launched yet another of its ill-conceived space probes on yet another poorly-thought-out mission to visit and/or annoy the inner planets of our solar system.

Mariner 10, a half-ton $98-million robotical behemoth, launched from the Kennedy Space Center, will soon be placed in heliocentric orbit around the Sun. From there it will use the mystical forces of gravity to propel itself on a mission to image the inner planets Venus and Mercury.

And then what?

This, I fear, is the question N.A.S.A. engineers have failed to question. What happens to Mariner 10 once it has completed its sunward paparazzisim?

My prediction - this space-craft will soon grow too big for its solar-powered britches and believe itself to be its own planet! Do not forget - this robotic probe is operated by ones and zeroes - numbers! And numbers are not to be trusted.

Mark my words! This ro-bot shall soon go rogue, breaking contact with its human creators to go on a reign of terror around the innermost solar system. Mark my words!

---