Remembering Challenger

Remembering Challenger

It was 20 years ago that Challenger blew up in 1986. I still remember it as vividly as I recall what I was doing when President Kennedy was shot and on the day of 9 11. I sat in front of the TV nearly all day, watching it, hoping all of them somehow escaped in the crew module, knowing it wasn't likely.

At the Bay Area GOP candidate forum a few nights ago I heard the incumbent’s representative say how DeLay had “saved” NASA by adding $1.1 billion to its budget recently. What he didn’t say was that it was DeLay who has continually cut NASA’s budget over the years, usually right after beating me in a primary. Is that commitment?

Do you want to trust him again?

Funding for NASA in the budget is NOT going up – for the next 5 years it will be flat. Any Congress rep can manage to do that. Twenty five years ago I went to China on pollution control technology negotiations and was nearly run down by millions of bicycles. Now, even China has put people in space and preparing its own space missions. India, Japan and others are not far behind. Meanwhile, our astronauts wait years for a mission. What a sad waste of valuable, high tech talent. They should be flying not waiting.

We can do better to honor our fallen space heroes. Our Congress has done little to give our space program a replacement Shuttle before the old ones failed. Our astronaut's have not been getting the funds needed to be a space pioneer as the world’ largest superpower. Barbara Morgan, our backup "teacher in space" has had to wait 20 years since Challenger's loss.

At the present rate, others will pass our achievements unless Congress energizes NASA and encourages private space entrepreneurs. These losses could have been avoided with a little vision in Congress, etc.

In memory of the astronauts lost on Challenger and Columbia, I think we can do much better. As a pilot and space enthusiast for decades, I will make it a key focus if elected to represent District 22.

How? I’d cut all of the $13 billion in pork projects such as the “bridge to nowhere” and transfer at least half of it to NASA and other programs we need.

NASA is too important to be left struggling with minimal budgets in the 21st Century. It is a key asset in District 22 and deserves far better than it has fared the last 20 years under the incumbent.