The last space shuttle blasted off today.
I’m sad about that, and not just because I’m a science fiction writer. I know there are those who complain about the cost of sending people out into space, and who will argue about the overall ROI until the sun goes nova, but I see our reach for the stars as something more than just a scientific/economic/military/political venture.
In ancient days, we looked up at the night sky and created stories to explain those pinpricks of light; today we still look into the sky, only now we’re trying to understand the stars, to go out and learn more about what they’re about, discover who or what else might be out there, grasp our role in an ever-changing universe.
The space shuttle program is ending. I hope something equally filled with the hope and wonder of that program will soon take its place.
To The Stars: Utah and the Space Shuttle - KUED.org
Tags: NASA
