[Scan-DC] Final Shuttle mission

[Converse, Robert]

Not strictly scan-related, but I just felt the need to share my thoughts with a friendly crew:

I was amazed at how emotional I felt watching the final Shuttle launch today.  I was in junior high school when the U.S was shocked to hear that Sputnik had been sent into orbit, and I decided that day to become an engineer.  I followed the U.S space program from the dark days of the 50's with repeated disasters on the pad, to the pinnacle - the moon landing of Apollo 11.  I was saddened by the two tragedies of the Shuttle program, but continued proud and confident that we would learn from and come back from those setbacks with even greater accomplishments and advances.

Now, the only way for Americans to get into space is to hitchhike on Russian rockets.  You don't hear much about NASA's future plans, but I think people in the U.S. will have to get used to watching other countries, such as Russia and China, stride ahead of the U.S into space.  To me, it's just one more indication that this country is not the one I grew up in.

Bob, WO3E

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