ᴀs ᴍᴀɴʏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ, ɴᴀsᴀ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛʟʏ ғɪɴᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴀɴ ᴀᴘᴏʟʟᴏ-ᴛʏᴘᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴀs ɴᴀᴍᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ʀᴇᴅsᴜɴ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇɴᴅ ᴀsᴛʀᴏɴᴀᴜᴛs ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏʟᴏɴɪᴢᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ. sᴏ, ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴅᴏ ᴡᴇ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴀʀs?
ᴀᴄᴄᴏʀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴏᴜʟᴀsᴋ.ᴄᴏᴍ, ɴᴜᴍᴇʀᴏᴜs sᴏᴜʀᴄᴇs ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀʀs ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ʙɪɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜs-ʙᴀsᴇᴅ sᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴀɢᴇɴᴄʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀ sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ 𝟷𝟿𝟻𝟶s.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴘᴏʟʟᴏ sᴇǫᴜᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛs ᴡᴀs ғɪɴɪsʜɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴡᴀs ʟᴇғᴛ ʙᴇᴡɪʟᴅᴇʀᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴇɴᴏʀᴍᴏᴜs ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇss. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀᴡᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴀsᴀ ᴡᴀs ‘ᴄᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ’ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙɪɢɢᴇʀ.
ᴘʀᴇsᴜᴍᴀʙʟʏ, ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ 𝟷𝟿𝟽𝟶s, ɴᴀsᴀ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ɪᴛs ғᴏᴄᴜs ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs ᴀ ᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ ᴍᴀɴɴᴇᴅ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜɪs sᴏᴜɴᴅs ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏᴏ ғᴀʀ-ғᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ, ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ, ɪᴛ ᴍᴀʏ ᴇɴᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ɴᴜᴍᴇʀᴏᴜs ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴs.
ғɪʀsᴛ ᴏғ ᴀʟʟ, 𝟻𝟶 ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴀɢᴏ, ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇʀ 𝟺 ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴀᴛᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛᴇᴅ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ɴᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴀʀs’ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ.
ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇʀ 𝟺 ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏᴜʀᴛʜ ɪɴ ᴀ sᴇʀɪᴇs ᴏғ sᴘᴀᴄᴇᴄʀᴀғᴛ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛᴀʀʏ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴀ ғʟʏʙʏ ᴍᴏᴅᴇ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇsɪɢɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴅᴜᴄᴛ ᴄʟᴏsᴇᴜᴘ sᴄɪᴇɴᴛɪғɪᴄ ᴏʙsᴇʀᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ᴍᴀʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀᴀɴsᴍɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴏʙsᴇʀᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛᴏ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ.
ʟᴀᴜɴᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ɴᴏᴠᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 𝟸𝟾, 𝟷𝟿𝟼𝟺, ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇʀ 𝟺 ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ sᴜᴄᴄᴇssғᴜʟ ғʟʏʙʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ ᴍᴀʀs, ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ-ᴜᴘ ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴛɪᴀɴ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ. ɪᴛ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇs ᴏғ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ sᴘᴀᴄᴇ; ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴅᴇᴘɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴄʀᴀᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ, ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ ʟᴀʀɢᴇʟʏ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄɪᴇɴᴛɪғɪᴄ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ’s ᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴏғ ʟɪғᴇ ᴏɴ ᴍᴀʀs
ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇssᴇᴅ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴅɪɢɪᴛᴀʟ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍᴀʀs
ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏʙᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ғᴏʀ ɴᴀsᴀ sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴇxʜɪʙɪᴛᴇᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇʜᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴛʀᴀɪᴛs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪᴢᴀʀʀᴇ ‘ʀᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴛ’ ᴠɪsɪʙʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ’s ᴘᴇʀsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ.
ᴀᴘᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛʟʏ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴏ-ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ʀᴇᴅsᴜɴ. ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏsᴇ sᴇᴇᴍɪɴɢʟʏ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏ sᴇᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴs? ᴅɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs sᴏᴍᴇ sᴏʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴇ̳x̳ᴛ̳ʀ̳ᴀ̳ᴛ̳ᴇ̳ʀ̳ʀ̳ᴇ̳s̳ᴛ̳ʀ̳ɪ̳ᴀ̳ʟ̳ ʟɪғᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ?
ɪɴ 𝟷𝟿𝟽𝟷, ᴏɴᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴘʀɪᴏʀ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴀᴘᴏʟʟᴏ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ, ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇʀ 𝟿 ᴡᴀs ᴏʀʙɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴀʀs. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ sɴᴀᴘ ɪᴛs ᴛᴏᴛᴀʟ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇғᴏʀᴇ, ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴ ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sʜᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴏʟᴅ ʀɪᴠᴇʀʙᴇᴅs, ᴀ 𝟹,𝟶𝟶𝟶 ᴍɪʟᴇ-ʟᴏɴɢ ɢʀᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀɴʏᴏɴ, ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴠᴏʟᴄᴀɴᴏᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀʀᴛɪғɪᴄɪᴀʟ-ʟɪᴋᴇ ғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴs.
ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇʀ 𝟿 ᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴏᴄᴛɪs ʟᴀʙʏʀɪɴᴛʜᴜs “ʟᴀʙʏʀɪɴᴛʜ” ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇsᴛᴇʀɴ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴠᴀʟʟᴇs ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇʀɪs.
ʀᴇɢᴀʀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ғᴀᴄᴛs ᴡᴇ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴇᴅ, ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙᴜᴛ ᴀsᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴇᴠɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ: ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ 𝟷𝟿𝟽𝟶 ᴀɴᴅ 𝟷𝟿𝟽𝟼? ᴡʜʏ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ɴᴀsᴀ ᴏᴘᴇɴʟʏ sᴘᴇᴀᴋ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʟᴀɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴄʀᴀғᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴛʜᴇɴ?
ᴏɴ ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ 𝟸𝟾, 𝟷𝟿𝟽𝟹, ɴᴀsᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜs ᴅᴇᴘᴀʀᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴅᴇғᴇɴsᴇ ᴇɴᴅᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴛᴏᴘ-sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ. ɪᴛs ɴᴀᴍᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ʀᴇᴅsᴜɴ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ɪᴛs ᴀɪᴍ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴍᴀʀs.
ᴀs sᴏᴍᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴋᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴄᴜᴍᴇɴᴛs ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟᴇᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴ ᴀsᴛʀᴏɴᴀᴜᴛs’ ʙᴜᴢᴢ ᴀʟᴅʀɪɴ, ɴᴇɪʟ ᴀʀᴍsᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴜssʀ ᴀssᴏᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇᴅ ᴠʟᴀᴅɪᴍɪʀ ɪʟʏᴜsʜɪɴ.
ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ᴀʟʟᴇɢᴇᴅʟʏ ᴅʀɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘɪʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ 𝟷𝟼ᴍᴍ ғᴏᴏᴛᴀɢᴇ ᴜᴛɪʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀsᴛʀᴏɴᴀᴜᴛs.
ɪᴛ sʜᴏᴡs ʜᴏᴡ ᴀsᴛʀᴏɴᴀᴜᴛs ᴏɴ ʙᴏᴀʀᴅ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴅᴜʟᴇ, ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ɪsᴠ ᴄᴏʟᴜᴍʙᴜs ᴀʀᴇ ɢʀᴀᴅᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴇᴘᴀʀᴛɪɴɢ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ.
sᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʀᴀɪᴛs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ᴇᴠɪᴅᴇɴᴛ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ғʟɪɢʜᴛ, ғᴏʀ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴍᴏᴜs sᴏᴜᴛʜ ᴘᴏʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴍᴀʀs.
ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀs ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴄᴏᴀ ʙᴇᴀᴄʜ, ғʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ʀᴇɢᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ʀᴇᴅsᴜɴ’s ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ʟᴀᴜɴᴄʜᴇs. ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴs sʜɪғᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀ̳ʀ̳ᴇ̳ᴀ̳ 𝟻𝟷.
ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴠɪʀᴀʟ, ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ʙᴇɢᴀɴ ᴛᴏ sᴜsᴘᴇᴄᴛ ɪᴛs ɢᴇɴᴜɪɴᴇɴᴇss. ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ, ɴᴀsᴀ ᴅɪsᴍɪssᴇᴅ ᴀɴʏ sᴏʀᴛ ᴏғ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴍᴀɴɴᴇᴅ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ.
ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ 𝟽𝟶s, ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏᴏᴛᴀɢᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴅʀᴀᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ʙᴇɢɪɴɴɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟷, ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴇᴠɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ ғʟᴏᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴛᴀʟɪᴀɴ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴀʟɪsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜ̳ғ̳ᴏ̳ ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀ ʟᴜᴄᴀ sᴄᴀɴᴛᴀᴍʙᴜʀʟᴏ ᴛᴇsᴛɪғɪᴇᴅ ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʀᴇᴅsᴜɴ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴘʀᴇss ᴄᴏɴғᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇ.
“ɪ ɪɴᴛʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀ ᴘʀᴇss-ʀᴇʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴛᴇsᴛɪᴍᴏɴʏ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪsᴄᴜss ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇsᴜᴍᴇᴅ ᴇxɪsᴛᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ʜᴜsʜ-ʜᴜsʜ ᴍɪʟɪᴛᴀʀʏ sᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴀᴍ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ “ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ʀᴇᴅsᴜɴ”, ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ 𝟽𝟶s ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜɪʟᴅ ᴀ sᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʀʏ ʙᴀsᴇ ᴏɴ ᴍᴀʀs, ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ. ᴍʏ sᴏᴜʀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ɪɴғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ – ɴᴀᴍᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴍᴇ ‘ʙʀᴀᴠᴏxsɪᴇʀʀᴀ𝟸𝟺’ – ʜᴀᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ʙʏ ᴇᴍᴀɪʟ. ɪᴛ ɪs ᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɢᴇs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇss ʀᴇʟᴇᴀsᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ.”
ᴄʀᴇᴅɪᴛ: ᴀɴɢᴇʟɪsᴍᴀʀʀɪᴛɪ.ɪᴛ
ᴄʀᴇᴅɪᴛ: ᴀɴɢᴇʟɪsᴍᴀʀʀɪᴛɪ.ɪᴛ
sᴏ, ɪғ ɪᴛ ᴅɪᴅ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ᴡʜʏ ɪs ɴᴀsᴀ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ᴜᴘ? ᴇxᴀᴄᴛʟʏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ғɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ? ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴡʜʏ sᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴘʀᴏʙᴇs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ sᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴛɪᴍᴇ?
ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴀsᴀ ғɪɴᴅ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴀʟᴀʀᴍᴇᴅ ʙʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴇxɪsᴛ? ᴅɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ғɪɴᴅ ᴀɴ ᴀ̳ʟ̳ɪ̳ᴇ̳ɴ̳ ʙᴀsᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ʟɪғᴇ ᴏɴ ᴍᴀʀs?
ᴡᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀᴄᴄᴏʀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏʙᴇs sᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴀᴘᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏ ʟɪғᴇ ᴏɴ ᴍᴀʀs ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀɴʏ ʟᴏɴɢᴇʀ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ sᴀʏ ғɪғᴛʏ ᴏʀ sɪxᴛʏ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴀɢᴏ.
ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴀsᴀ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ɴᴏ ᴀᴘᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛ sɪɢɴs ᴏғ ʟɪғᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏʙᴇs ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴡʜʏ ᴛʜᴇʏ ɴᴏᴡ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴀɴ ɢᴏ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴏɴɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ?
