Launch

Space Exploration Still Matters

February 8, 2010 at 11:46 am, by Julie Bain

The space shuttle Endeavour blasted off early this morning (above, NASA photo by Jim Grossman), with my friend Nicholas Patrick on board. This is his second launch and I’m sure it feels bittersweet, as it’s one of the final space shuttle missions of the program. My brother and his wife were there for the launch, with their two babies, to show their support. I got to attend Nick’s first launch, also at night, and I’ll never forgot the awe-inspiring feeling of power, noise, light, vibration—and the eagles that flew out of a nearby tree as the rocket lit up the sky like day.

The crew is carrying up the last major pieces of the International Space Station, including an observation deck with a big window. The shuttle will dock with the station on Wednesday, and Nick will suit up and go outside to help finish the construction. Can you imagine being tethered by a thin cord as you look down on Earth while orbiting at around 17,500 mph? Cool!

While the future of the manned space program is very much in doubt right now, it’s important to remember all we’ve learned about science, health and our own planet (not to mention international cooperation!) from these missions. We must continue to explore space, not just because it’s there, not because it’s “hard” (as JFK defined it), but because it could mean our survival and salvation in the future.

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