The smart people who run NASA’s Mars exploration program are still, well, smarting after they went 0 for the ’98 season. But there isn’t much time for self-pity in their business. In little more than a year, the third and fourth rocks from the sun will once again be in the proper alignment for an Earth to Mars chip-shot. So, instead of hand wringing, the Jet Propulsion Lab brain-trust is busy coming up with a Plan B (as in Better). Forget about Cheaper and Faster for now.