Spring Break
No need for NASA
Spaceshipone's success demonstrates benefits of privatized space program
By: Mike Walters
Issue date: 6/29/04 Section: Opinion
"Before Wilber Wright went to Paris with his airplane, the Europeans thought he was lying," Rutan said. "Then they watched him do turns, and they watched him fly for a long time and they watched him do multiple flights a day. I believe the significant thing is that they then all said, at the same time, "I can do that, too, because these are just bicycle shop guys.'"
The fact that the era of human flight was started by a couple of "bicycle shop guys" stands as a concrete example of a notion often dismissed as idealistic by bitter old men-that ordinary human beings are capable of heroic feats of excellence, if a passion and desire to do so is followed by courageous action. The Wright brothers embodied such a spirit, and the recent flight of the Spaceshipone presents further proof of what man is capable of.
The true human spirit is found in all those things America's enemies seek to annihilate-hard work, dedication, vision and the individual rights necessary to pursue our lives and dreams. This spirit was seen as Spaceshipone climbed toward the heavens in triumph. Further, it was an accomplishment unblemished by the theft of American money.
Though the Apollo landings and other such marvels in the realm of human space travel are fantastic, they are sadly marred by the ill use of government funds. As long as NASA is funded by income tax, money will be forcibly taken away from us by our government and fed into an inefficient bureaucracy that holds back what is possible.
The government must let go and allow the proof of people like Rutan are providing to convince Americans that space exploration is best handled by the men and women who can do it without stealing their funding.
The fact that the era of human flight was started by a couple of "bicycle shop guys" stands as a concrete example of a notion often dismissed as idealistic by bitter old men-that ordinary human beings are capable of heroic feats of excellence, if a passion and desire to do so is followed by courageous action. The Wright brothers embodied such a spirit, and the recent flight of the Spaceshipone presents further proof of what man is capable of.
The true human spirit is found in all those things America's enemies seek to annihilate-hard work, dedication, vision and the individual rights necessary to pursue our lives and dreams. This spirit was seen as Spaceshipone climbed toward the heavens in triumph. Further, it was an accomplishment unblemished by the theft of American money.
Though the Apollo landings and other such marvels in the realm of human space travel are fantastic, they are sadly marred by the ill use of government funds. As long as NASA is funded by income tax, money will be forcibly taken away from us by our government and fed into an inefficient bureaucracy that holds back what is possible.
The government must let go and allow the proof of people like Rutan are providing to convince Americans that space exploration is best handled by the men and women who can do it without stealing their funding.
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