When the shuttles began flying in 1981, I thought it was the beginning of the real exploration of the solar system. Instead, most of the money went to support those low-orbit flights. Now that a return to the moon is the next plan–along with retirement of what remains of the expensive shuttle fleet–I have to wonder if there’ll ever be enough money for it. It would certainly be a better investment, as this NASA article explains:
"’We need to set up shop on the Moon for one clear and understandable reason,’ he concludes. ‘The Moon is a school for exploration.’"
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 