Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!think!ames!mike
From: mike@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Mike Smithwick)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Intangibles. . .(was "Letter to Congress, et. al.")
Message-ID: <14078@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 30 Aug 88 17:12:02 GMT
Reply-To: mike@ames.arc.nasa.gov.UUCP (Mike Smithwick)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
Lines: 57

In article <645@proxftl.UUCP> greg@proxftl.UUCP (Gregory N. Hullender) writes:
>
>Of course, there's a certain amount of romance in manned missions, but I
>really don't think that's worth what it costs.
>-- 
>		Greg Hullender  uflorida!novavax!proxftl!greg
>		3511 NE 22nd Ave / Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
>


Exactly, and that "romance" is itself an important element in what amounts
to basic exploration. How many people are now scientists and engineers due
to the "romance" of Apollo. "You can't eat moondust!" was the rallying
cry of the "down with space-niks" in the late 60s and 70s. There are those
who assume that space is pointless unless they get a check from NASA in
the mail once a month. 

Sure, it's well and good to look a the practical elements and returns from
the manned space program, no doubt it has be "oversold" in many areas. But
lets face it, the launch of another weather satillite is not terribly 
inspirational. Kids in school today don't say "gee, I think I'll go into
engineering so I too can build the next generation communications 
satillites!". Space Camp doesn't attract thousands of students a year because
they promise to teach them to become an effecitve ground controller on some
gamma-ray experiment. 

It's the expectation that someday these kids
might find themselves sitting on their back, listening to the countdown
over their helmets that leads many to become the next generation of
physicists, super-computer designers or cancer researchers.

But still there are those who pride themselves on how they are the
shining examples, the oracles of the One True Way, a more nobler example
of the species which constantly remind us that manned spaceflight is
pointless, not very utilitarian.  Why not expand their debate to include
support for the arts.  "Why should the government waste money 
on things like orchestras or theatrical groups, what practical benefits 
can be derived from that!!!" (Continuing this line of thinking even 
further would lead us to a purely utilitarian society, where everything 
is painted gray or only one kind of car is sold since it is cheaper to build.) 


The term "dream" is much overused in these discussions, but I think it 
is appropriate here. We can dream of greatness only when greatness
is permitted.

-------------------------------------------------

Random thoughts from someone inspired enought by Apollo to get involved with
computers. . . . .


-- 
			   *** mike (starship janitor) smithwick ***
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, or all of the people
 some of the time, but you can't fool Mom".
[disclaimer : nope, I don't work for NASA, I take full blame for my ideas]