I started to put Explorer in this space, but in the end decided it was better suited for the “Musings” part of the site. Tomorrow I may very well change my mind and move it back.
When you read it, the story is (pretty obviously) inspired by the Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity Mars missions. It’s not really tied to any one of those in particular, and with only minor changes could be adapted to the Viking missions as well. I just happened to find myself contemplating the probes’ arrival from the viewpoint of what it might have really looked like. We know how the landing sequence was supposed to go, and we know that the three probes did indeed arrive. But there were no eyewitness accounts.
At least, not until now. 🙂