The Mission Ahead

Cape Kennedy was the epicenter of America's Space Race with the USSR. The triumphs of Alan Shephard piloting a Mercury-Redstone 15 on a sub-orbital voyage and Apollo 11 moon landing originated on its launch pads as well as the tragedies of the Challenger and Columbia. NASA shut down the space shuttles last year and last February I visited Cape Kennedy in Florida. The space port has basically been turned into a tourist site, as the US government has abnegated their commitment to the stars in favor of private investors running our space mission, reminding me of the Ming Dynasty banning exploration at the return of Zhung He's treasure fleet in 1433, however the 8/6 Mars landing of the rover Curiosity shows we ain't done yet and on August 23 Nasa has a scheduled launch to space. In the meanwhile if you have a chance, visit the Space Center at Cape Kennedy. It gets five stars from me, then again I'm a Trekkie. Live long and prosper.