I am sure like so many others that I am not alone in thinking about Nasa missions. Have wondered why there is always a short duration objective with little else thought of for the probe or satelite to do once its main goal has been achieve. The examples of the Mars rovers come to mind for there ability to endure the harsh environment to which they are currently operationg in. They have completed there primary goal and are currently working on the extended version of the same goal. Since the winter month are so harsh they most likely will not survive but there is a chance that they will. What would of happened if the rovers had been given a way to survive? Would there main objective still be to look for water signs. Giving the robotic rover the ability to dig a cave to get out of the harsh winter atmosphere would have been one of my thoughts. Planning in other tools to be used would have been another. But all this usually leads to a larger unit.

In the case of the Lunar Reconnaissance orbiter its main goals will be met within a short period of time. It is now 2004 and we will wait until 2008 to pave the way for lunar exploration. What a slow way to go. So I guess my question for Nasa is in that same period of time how many more probes will be designed and readied for launch one right after the other.

Though the Lunar Reconnaissance orbiter will be loaded with lots of instruments, it will mainly set idle with nothing to do once man can go to the moon. Or will we just wait until 2020 for the first manned landing before setting up an infrasture to be used by the Astronauts that go. A total of 16 years is a long time to wait. Apollo was done in less than a decade. Why can we not do it in less than taht time frame is the real question.

Since communication are of great importance and that there is no network of satelites surrounding the moon. Why not give it that one last long term goal. Making each probe with a common long term hardware and with short term objectives spread out accross multiple units instead of just one.

Have I missed something here.

"Mars has three kinds of clouds - Dust - WATER - Carbon Dioxide"

If there are water clouds where did the water come from? I thought the rover mission was to find eveidence of water on Mars but it seems this can be down from orbit as well!!

Well a water based cloud at mars temperatures would probably produce snow would it not...

Early chemical mix of earths atmosphere also is thought to be very simular to that of mars.

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE EARTH'S ORIGINAL ATMOSPHERE
http://www.grisda.org/origins/03066.htm

Another nice table of common names to chemical can be found at this link.
http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/blcommon.htm

Long and short there must be a way to heat, agitate, and add water at some point in time in order to make some of these compounds.

If I'm not mistaken, Mars Express has some water vapor mapping equipment. The H2O must be percolating up in places. Thus raising the relative humidity locally. Denser rock formations should channel this vapor from its sources to the leaky formation, such as an impact crater etc. Too bad MARSIS is not yet deployed. We could learn a lot about the actual mechanics of the Mars we only see.

The different types of cloud formations would also indicate the possibility of micro-climates on the surface or within some of the valleys.

For example: The tempature difference and pressures on a high mountain top are different than in a valley. The Cascade mountains have snow and the Death Valley is dry. However, water vapor is present at both locations and each have their own micro-climates for bactrial life to exist on Earth.

Analogous conditions could be possible on Mars. Inferring, water vapor and cloud formation over the Tharsis buldge (warmer air) could interact with the Valley Marianus system (colder air). The tempartue difference within some of the canyon systems might allow some of the water vapor to condense on the surface and percolate into the soil in regional micro-climatic conditions.
If this were to occur, the water vapor condensation would remove the peroxides in these areas, building up some areas of increased salinity.
It seems possible, in micro-climatic conditions that extremophilic bacteria might exist.

Even further on different types of cloud formations. Approximately 400 tones daily of space debris is added to the Earth's atmosphere as fine dust grains and gases, small amounts of water vapor as well.
This too, could be a potential source for some of the compound the are being discovered within the atmosphere. A meteroite can add small amouts of methane or amonia to an atmosphere, a small source, but one that shouldn't be over-looked in favor of an active volcano or biological origins for the compounds within the atmosphere of Mars.