PlanetNet MicroLibrary
6000.MarkV
While Naoki's data stream continued to be analyzed, Adam pulled up the 1997 cross reference he had been meaning to read since his last session in the MicroLibrary's archives. As he read one of the displayed records from May 9, it occurred to him that several events in 1997 seemed to be interrelated. He ran a time line analysis to see what he could make of it. |
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Analysis Results Selection: May 9, 1997 Additional Records: |
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On May 9, 1997 former astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Story Musgrave, and Walter Cunningham spoke before a congressional committee at a hearing held at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.[USA, Northern Americas, Earth, Sol System] In the shadow of Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis and Gemini and Apollo Space Vehicles, they urged Congress to renew the United States commitment to manned space exploration. In the first in a series of hearings that will address the direction of the U.S. space program, the astronauts encouraged the committee to rededicate the country to manned space flight to maintain the United State's position as a world leader and invigorate the human spirit. Apollo VII astronaut Cunningham outlined their concerns: "Today, the once rambunctious American spirit of innovation and adventure is being paralyzed by the desire for a risk-free society. This country was established by risk-takers... It's the Christopher Columbus's and the Neil Armstrongs who move us forward, not the Ralph Naders. With a Ralph Nader at the head of a wagon train, we would never have made it across the plains and over the Rockies," Recalling his trip to the moon, Aldrin stressed that the country must maintain its focus on its future achievements and not dwell nostalgically on it's past glories. "I am here to say: Let the race begin. Let us reawaken America to the power of a compelling dream, and the ability, with determination, to achieve that dream." Musgrave, who flew six shuttle missions during his 30 years as an astronaut, declared that America's first space priority must be to lower the cost of space travel, criticizing the rising costs of joint international space stations, and urged the United States to, in his words, "get on with it." "I do not think it's a matter of resources. We said the station is going to cost $8.4 million back in 1984. By next year, 1998, we will have spent $20 billion in 14 years and there's not a single nut or a screw in orbit. "A space station should not take 20 years. It took 10 years to launch four programs in the '60s. If we want to do a space station in five years, we need to get the will and the courage and we simply need a deadline and put it on paper and go do it. If we simply get on with things in a logical fashion in which we set hard decisions, dates on the decisions and attach names to those decisions and make it happen, that is the answer." Also speaking before the committee was Ron Howard, movie director for Apollo 13, who told the committee that space exploration captured the imagination of the nation and the entire world, old and young alike. "I come from an industry that dreams for a living. Together we must -- for our kids and for our nation's long-term future -- think big. " "We have to embrace renewed discussion of a mission to Mars and a permanent human settlement on the moon. We have to tell the nation about the incredible discoveries that have already come out of the 83 shuttle missions." Next Record: 05.09.97 |
©1997 Lisa Jain Thompson and Ken Fair, Jr.
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