Goldin made a lot of noise in Paris during his visits with CNES, the French space agency, about joint U.S.-French manned Mars missions. He coyly remarked that it would be "wonderful" to see a French woman and American astronaut walk the red dust of Mars.

But what Goldin was really doing was giving support to CNES and European Space Agency officials who were struggling to see their manned space capsule project survive ESA budget cuts. Ariane 5 rocket development has remained at the top of the European space agenda, along with the International Space Station program. But a manned space capsule project that would give ESA and France independent means of launching astronauts atop the Ariane 5 has languished, and some fear may never receive full funding and support. Same with advanced space technology programs that could form the basis of future interplanetary space missions with the U.S. What Goldin was really interested in was ESA's money, invested in such programs. Goldin made a point of saying that no one nation could afford to "go alone" to the planets. Translation?: The U.S. needs partners to pay part of the bill when the time comes again to sail beyond earth's orbit. Sacre Bleu!