I remember sitting in my second grade class (during a math lesson) when another teacher came in and told us the news that the Challenger had exploded soon after launch.
Dave Winer is linking to lots of coverage of today’s Columbia tragedy over at Scripting News
I hope that this is not a setback for the space program. Instead, Congress should continue to fund the space program, including the development of a new, smaller cheaper manned orbital vehicle. Why? Critics of manned spaceflight argue that it is too expensive, too risky and can be replaced by unmanned space exploration at a fraction of the cost with minimal risk to human life. Space exploration represents the human yearning to find out more– to travel, to journey, to explore. Going to space is something that we should do because we can. Indulging curiosity will never look good on a balance sheet, but many worthwhile endeavors have rewards that are not obvious to bean-counters. Imagine.
Is space travel inherently risky? Yes. But even after today, if given the option, I would go up on even the next shuttle flight without hesitation.
