on space
Space exploration is an interesting issue and can be mutch more controversial than is first suspected when beginning to contemplate the issue. It was great when the US was able to make it to the moon this month 32 years ago (I will not debate wether or not we actually went to the moon, its not worth the headache). Unfortunately as soon as the Apollo program ended, our manned exploration of space program became very short sighted. It was great when we got the now aging obese shuttles, but they are limited to orbital operations� we have made a great number of orbital missions each year but the manned space station program is way behind all predictions from several decades ago. Finally the ISS (Space Station Alpha) is forming despite the problems with getting completed modules from the decaying former USSR.
Now on to the controversy: It seems to many people that we should be spending the massive amounts of money that are sunk into NASA on programs back home. They feel that these exploration projects accomplish nothing and are a waste of tax-payer�s dollars. This view does not take into account the future possibilities, once there is an infrastructure in orbit that can provide revenue to companies more business will recognize the uses of space operations. If we could get a base on the moon we would be able to mine minerals for use in orbital construction. It may in fact take a great deal of time for this to come around but the advent of space tourism may assist with this a great deal. I can not elaborate on this any longer to find out more read the book The Kinsman Saga (Millenium) by Ben Bova, also Luis L�Amour has published essays on this subject.