Our Future

I finally saw a shuttle launch! It was a
great weather and a great crowd at the
launch Monday November 16th. It was
fascinating to see so many children at the
launch. It provides hope for the future
when young kids are interested in space.

At the astronaut breakfast that morning an
astronaut mentioned that after these last
shuttles are finished the real work begins.
The International Space Station will
become the learning lab to open space travel and technology
to go to Mars. He mentioned that many 10 to 12 year old's in the
room may be the astronauts that will take us to Mars. It will be a
5 year mission and everything to survive those years will have to be
on board the spacecraft. Everything will have to be self-sustaining
and recyclable. The science to take us to Mars may well be the
science to help us save our planet.

This made me realize more than ever that the journey
to the future is as important as achieving the goals.
All the technology and science learned going into space
has changed our daily lives for the better. Those things
are never found on balance sheets. I hope we do not become
so worried about the money today that we rob ourselves of
our future.

Possibly the biggest minefield facing our journey into the future is
our anchors to today and our past.