I’ve always been fascinated by space exploration, which over the years has led me to regularly tune into space shuttle launches, follow the latest Mars rover news and read science fiction, just to name a few such activities. So when I learned that the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) offers free public tours, I immediately signed up for one on the first Monday of the new year. What better way to start off 2011 than to visit a place that is doing such exciting work and helping us explore the Earth, the solar system and the universe beyond.