I find it interesting how NASA purposely excludes certain obvious scientific instruments on their probes and rovers in order to justify their next multi-gazzilion dollar contraption.
Nice scam those guys got going on...
I agree. I can’t figure that one either.
With CCD tech the way it is these days, they could have easily fit in a microscope and a vial of water, taken a few samples, and snapped 5,000 200X photos.
I know if I take samples from just about anywheres outside and look you see something swimming around.
And the whole “the weight, the crushing weight, we can’t afford another one pound instrument...” that argument is history.
Almost like they left it off intentionally...