Space Travel
While visiting my son in Orlando, we made a trip to the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. I was almost 5 when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, and vividly remember making my own Space Capsule out of aluminum foil and having my Mom buy me the GI Joe Astronaut.
Like many at the time Space Travel caught my imagination. That faded as NASA kept going to the Moon, and returned slightly as the Space Shuttle began.
There's a bittersweet quality about KSM today. The Space Shuttle is no more (Atlantis is on display there) and it appears it could be 5 to 10 years before they attempt to go back to the Moon or even try to go to Mars. The place, and the Astronaut Hall of Fame will bring back a flood of memories, even though NASA is still going strong, mostly through mutual business dealings with private companies.
So, I came away in awe of what they achieved but skeptical as to whether they can capture the imagination of a public that thinks Space travel is a waste of money. But if you're in the area visit KSM, you'll love it even if you aren't a NASA fanatic.
Like many at the time Space Travel caught my imagination. That faded as NASA kept going to the Moon, and returned slightly as the Space Shuttle began.
There's a bittersweet quality about KSM today. The Space Shuttle is no more (Atlantis is on display there) and it appears it could be 5 to 10 years before they attempt to go back to the Moon or even try to go to Mars. The place, and the Astronaut Hall of Fame will bring back a flood of memories, even though NASA is still going strong, mostly through mutual business dealings with private companies.
So, I came away in awe of what they achieved but skeptical as to whether they can capture the imagination of a public that thinks Space travel is a waste of money. But if you're in the area visit KSM, you'll love it even if you aren't a NASA fanatic.
posted by Tom Lane at 6:15 PM
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