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Article: Patriotism or hubris? (Comment).(thoughts on the space program's future in the wake of the Columbia tragedy)
- Article from:
- Los Angeles Business Journal
- Article date:
- February 10, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 CBJ, L.P. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The deep dark secret about the space program is being unfurled -- the hard way, the tragic way, as Americans grieve over the loss of seven astronauts on board the doomed Columbia space shuttle.
What we are learning is that manned space travel is more of a contrivance than a necessity, and that the human and economic costs far outweigh the tangible benefits. These realities come after the United States has already invested many billions of dollars not only on the shuttle but on the nascent space station that, as it turns out, will do a lot less than first envisioned.
It should never have reached this point, and perhaps it wouldn't have if Americans hadn't ...