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“I think one of the legacies of NASA is that you always push forward. That’s why it was founded — to push human knowledge and experience forward.”
These were the words of Payload Commander and Mission Specialist Michael Anderson, contained in NASA’s official overview of ill-fated mission STS-107. Anderson was one of the seven crew members lost in space shuttle Columbia’s reentry Feb. 1.
The question of whether to continue with the space program is really not a question at all. If anyone should be upset with the space exploration programs, it’s the families of the Columbia astronauts. But they have issued a joint statement through NASA urging the continuation of space exploration.
The rest of the country should learn from their example. These families, overcome with feelings of loss and sorrow, are able to see past their own grief and look to the future benefits of exploring the great unknown.
After discussing the Columbia disaster with NASA’s chief administrator, President George W. Bush came to the same conclusion.
“America’s journey into space will go on,” Bush said in a speech regarding the tragedy. Bush should have taken his statement one step further and vowed to raise NASA’s funding in order to improve dated technology so that space exploration might be put in high gear instead of stalling out.
When the space shuttle Challenger burst into flames Jan. 28, 1986, the nation was shocked and horrified. The space program, then, came to a screeching halt. Former President Ronald Reagen addressed the tragedy, calling those who lost their lives in the mission pioneers dedicated to the process of exploration and discovery.
That process was left in limbo until former President George Bush Sr. announced in 1989 that America would once again go into space, specifically to the moon and Mars. He realized that the nation could not give in to the fear of tragedy and risks must be taken if we were to move forward.
The risk of space exploration is inherent, but its value is immeasurable. The crew of space shuttle Columbia set out to perform more than 80 scientific experiments with hopes of gaining insight about space, life on Earth and certain aspects of physical science.
The microgravity environment that space offers allows astronauts to perform advanced cellular experiments that may lead to cures for cancer, AIDS and other diseases. Ironically, the Columbia crew also conducted research on astronaut health and safety.
Instead of focusing on the next human space mission, NASA should pour its creative juices into improving current technology, which will be difficult if the issue of funding is not addressed. Ever since the Challenger exploded, NASA’s budget has been on a slow but steady 
decline. In the 1960s, the time of the great space race, NASA received 5 percent of the federal budget.
Today, it is down to less than 1 percent. Officials say the space shuttle’s budget has fallen by 40 percent since 1990. How can NASA increase safety and productivity on a decreasing budget? If we are going to do it, why not do it all the way?
In 1992, Daniel Goldin became NASA’s No. 1 administrator. His motto: faster, better, cheaper. He proceeded to downscale NASA operations from the grandiose notions that inspired the Apollo missions to a more focused dedication to practical missions dealing with science and technology. He cut 4,000 jobs and the budget by $30 billion over an eight-year period.
Despite Goldin’s desire to tighten the reins, he was committed to the idea of continued space exploration. On the 10-year anniversary of the Challenger tragedy, Goldin said, “The best way to honor the memories of the crew of the Challenger … is to continue their bold tradition of exploration and innovation.”
This sentiment should hold true for the crew of Columbia. Let their sacrifice not mark the end, but the beginning. Onward and upward.
Submitted February 13, 2003
MALIBU, CA
