I've always been in love with the space program. It's such an amazing thing to think about, launching vehicles and people off of our little planet. But in the past few years, I've started souring on it. The last major manned space vehicle has failed twice in the last 20 years and was designed in the late 70's. Honestly, I'm stunned that the Space Shuttle is flying at all. Would you drive your 1976 Ford LTD to grandma's house?
I believe that part of the lack of innovation over the years is the government bureaucracy. I know. I worked as a subcontractor to a subcontractor to a contractor at NASA once. It's such a lumbering beast that it's no wonder that there's nothing new getting done there. It's not exactly a dream incubator.
But now, we've got private companies all aiming to win the X-Prize for the first team to have a successful private sector space program. It looks like SpaceShip One is well on it's way.
What do little kids dream of these days? Does any kid want to be an astronaut? Hopefully, this will get them started up again.
6.22.2004
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I just tried to post a comment and ended up creating a blog. WTF? I titled it Willisblog, and I don't have anything to say on it, but it is there. I think it should be about pizza. I'll write something about pizza later. Maybe after I eat one.
Anyway, spaceman, no. Fireman, policeman, baseball player, tennis player, yes. I got into an argument with a pro-Bush freak one time about why it is such a good idea to waste money on the space program. It was her argument that there could be oil or something on these other planets, and we should be going there to yell homestead and lay claim to the resources. I asked her what tanker-sized shuttle she was planning to send to the other planets, and isn't the price of oil high enough without having to export it from Jupiter, and she called me a pinko commie baby-killing liberal and told me to go marry my gay lover.
In a nutshell, I'd rather my tax money go somewhere else (like education, healthcare, reducing the defecit, or attorneys' salaries).
It's funny how people have these grandiose ideas about space, but once confronted with the practicalities become irrational.
There might be oil. There might be lots of hot chicks there too. Who knows? Republicans?
Besides, let the private sector spend the money. After all, that's who'd be raking in all the cash in the end, so let them spend it up front too.
I hear ya. However, I'm sure Congress will find a way to regulate the hell out of private space travel, too. I foresee an astronomical space tax in the near future. Or an "out of this world permit." Or regulations on space craft.
Still, I never wanted to be an astronaut. I remember watching the Challenger explosion while walking back from P.E. in 7th grade. That was good enough for me. Like watching a shark attack on Shark Week. Makes me not want to go for a swim anymore.
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