Editing 2517: Rover Replies

{{comic
| number    = 2517
| date      = September 17, 2021
| title     = Rover Replies
| image     = rover_replies.png
| titletext = I'm so glad NASA let you take your phone to Mars!
}}

==Explanation==

There is a [https://twitter.com/nasapersevere?lang=en Twitter account] for {{w|NASA|NASA's}} {{w|Perseverance (rover)|Perseverance Mars Rover}}, which collected samples. The Twitter account tweets in the first person like in the comic. Likely a human on earth is playing the role of the rover.{{Citation needed}} While the exact post shown does not exist, it has posted a [https://twitter.com/NASAPersevere/status/1433334279937789954 similar tweet.]

The first four replies (in order of top-to-bottom) are likely just general compliments to the rover, demonstrating that the replies are indeed wholesome. Reply three in particular references rocks, as the main purpose of most Mars rovers is to perform Martian geology.

Reply five is a mashup of conspiracy theories, including about {{w|5G}} communications, {{w|Vaccine hesitancy|vaccines}}, and others. [[Ponytail]] then replies "Quiet, we're not doing that here", scolding the conspiracy theorist to keep their negativity out of the otherwise positive forum. 

The next reply references people saying where they're from, then clarifying where that is in brackets, e.g. Wingerworth (England). This commenter expands that to clarify that they are from Earth, joking that the planet may be ambiguous as the Mars rover is not on Earth. In reality, this ambiguity does not exist as humans only live on Earth,{{citation needed}} thus contributing to the humor. 

The second-to-last reply is likely a misunderstanding, with the commenter believing that the rover is digging to perform anthropology or paleontology, not geology. The commenter could, however, believe that there is/was complex life on Mars, thus allowing the possibility that there are Martian skeletons for the rover to find.

The final reply is a reference to {{w|Ingenuity (helicopter)|Ingenuity}}, a small helicopter which Perseverance took to Mars as a [https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/  technology demonstrator]. It has been very successful and completed many flights, [https://mars.nasa.gov/images/mepjpl/PIA24797-Flight12.jpg often taking it quite far from Perseverance.]

The title text is in the form of another reply. The character posting that reply believes that the rover has taken its phone to Mars, and has used that to take the pictures. This is likely because most photos on social media are taken on phones, and social media sites are often designed for phones. In addition, Perseverance and Curiosity differ from previous rovers in that they have cameras mounted on flexible arms, allowing them to take photographs of themselves - somewhat akin to a smartphone on a selfie-stick. In reality, Mars rovers don't have smartphones, and Perseverance is taking photos with an equipped camera.

While this comic is most likely referencing Perseverance, there is another small possibility that Curiosity is shown here, as Curiosity also has [https://www.space.com/19708-mars-rover-curiosity-rock-drill-sample.html collected samples]. This is unlikely though due to the timing of this comic.

==Transcript==
:[A post of a rocky landscape and a close-up of a rock is next to a profile picture of the camera of a Mars rover.]
:Just collected a sample!
:[Comments below:]
:These pictures are great!
:I'm so proud of you
:Wow you know a lot about rocks
:Go go go go go!
:More propaganda from NASA's 5G vaccine microchip factory
::Quiet, we're not doing that here
:Hello from Missouri (Earth)!
:Did you find any skeletons yet
:I hope your helicopter comes back!
:[Caption below frame:]
:The most unexpectedly wholesome place on the internet is the replies to NASA's rovers on social media.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Mars rovers]]
[[Category:Social networking]]
[[Category:5G]]