The spacehead in me is having a difficult time keeping the excitement in check in advance of Wednesday's scheduled launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery. Return to flight represents a lot of things to a lot of people, not the least of which is the need to keep exploring despite the inherent risks of doing so.
I have been fascinated by aviation and space flight for my entire life, and I watched shuttle launches, missions and landings faithfully from STS-1 on up. I saw Challenger explode and Columbia disintegrate on live television, and thought the only tragedy larger than the loss of such precious and exemplary lives would be an end to the journey.
The journey resumes tomorrow. Television coverage starts at 3:30 p.m. ET in most regions. I hope you'll stop what you're doing and tune in - or log onto www.space.com and click on the NASA-TV link.
I'll have more to say tomorrow. For now, it's your turn: Is space flight worth it? Why? Why not?
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# 23 of MY THIRTY DAYS OF THANKSGIVING
22 hours ago
5 comments:
I think it is so worth it. My youngest girl wants to be an astronaut when she grows up..:)
It's totally worth it; we just have to look back to things that have come out of the space program in the past--things we take for granted in everyday living now. Some medications wouldn't have been possible with having been started in space. We wouldn't have had VCRs. We learned about certain metal alloys in space. the more we explore beyond out world, the more we learn about our world...
Not until we've solved more of the problems on this planet - like hunger, disease and poverty - I agree with 'better safe than sorry' that, for now, the amount of money it costs is needed more elsewhere.
I think it's definitely worth it. I know there are a lot of other problems that could use the funding, but I think it's important for the human psyche. Space exploration keeps us looking outward, focussed on the future. Without it, we turn inwards, becoming more and more concerned with minor concerns and petty complaints - like an elderly shut-in with nothing to worry about but the noises their neighbours make and who keeps leaving the lids off the garbage cans.
Dealing with the problems and challenges of space exploration gives us a greater ability to identify and deal with the very real problems we have at home, without getting sidetracked by the mundane and the insignificant.
Living in Florida gave me opportunity to visit the Space Port numerous time. Space exploration is important.
I was standing on the roof of my then workplace when challenger exploded. I saw it live and in color.
It is important to return to space, even an abbreviated schedule. the next frontier still is a mystery, like the bottoms of the oceans.
If you've never been there (To Kennedy Space Center ) it is worth a trip for your children one day.
They have tours that explore the launch pads and the different areas of the installation.
Jeremy
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