Stay in space
The loss of the space shuttle Columbia and
its seven brave astronauts should not deter the nation’s exploration of space.
With all due respect for the dead, it is
unreasonable to expect that accidents or mistakes will never happen as humanity
continues to break the bonds of Earth.
The astronauts knew the space shuttle
wasn’t a jumbo jet. They knew the risks, but put their lives on the line anyway.
Their desire to be pioneers, to explore
the mysteries of space and to help mankind understand the Earth’s place in a
vast universe exceeded any fear of the unknown. They looked mortality in the eye
long before they ever stepped onto the space shuttle—and accepted it.
The nation and the world mourn the loss of
some of the best and most courageous people on the planet.
The courage of the astronauts is cold
comfort to the families in the midst of such loss. Yet, such courage is a rare
currency, much to be admired in an age in which safety and the accumulation of
vast fortunes have overshadowed loftier goals.
The astronauts put the accumulation of
knowledge and the welfare of mankind ahead of their personal safety. If all of
mankind were guided by such altruism, the world would be a better place.
The Columbia disaster deserves a most
thorough investigation. Expert eyes outside of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration should review the shuttle design knowing that passion for
space missions will always threaten to blind scientists and engineers to
excessive risks.
But whatever the investigation finds, the
United States should not drop its commitment to exploring space. To drop the
space program would dishonor the men and women of the Columbia.
There’s no better way to explore space
than to go there, to follow the trail the astronauts blazed.