Had NASA contracted these rovers to some of us, they would have been on Mars in half the time for 1/4 the money, and the rovers would have had awesome ground effects.
I jest. <preach>Seriously, it is my dream to someday have half as much scientific impact as the good folks at NASA have now. I think most of us will some day have the competence, the capability and talent and experience, to do what they do, because ultimately, we are those with both talent and motivation to get stuff done, and within reason, get it done right. </preach>