I share your enthusiasm for the MSL and can't wait to see it getting launched. Yet it's a sophisticated rover that needs development time. If there was a tradeoff between an overhasty development timeline and the chance for better testing (and perhaps sending two MSL at once! =D>), I would even favour to postpone the launch to 2011. Though I hope that won't become necessary.

Anyway, I remember the long and dreary post-Viking years, so I know to cherish the current approach of using every launch window to Mars. I wish we had a similar dedication in exploring places like Europa and Titan as we have in visiting Mars!

:-k To resume the water issue, does anyone know which probe will be more powerful in detecting underground aquifers: Mars Express (once its antenna gets deployed) or MRO?