>This is a joke, right?  Who's sending this up?

No, it is not a joke. My boss is currently preparing a preliminary proposal
to an ESA proposed flight to Mars, which also has as part of the
specification bringing back some real Mars dust.

>Nothing commercially available would likely
>survive long in space or on Mars.

Why do you say that? We currently have a satellite orbiting the moon that
uses commercially available parts.

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