Space program deserves support
An important statement was made by Jim Lovell, Neil Armstrong and other astronauts about the space program and I found not a word in the May 26 Daily Hearld! In fact, not a word was said about the astronauts risking their lives in space at this very moment. Why is it that at least eight pages are devoted to sports (where no one risks his life and some are paid millions) and not even the usual brief article about the astronauts?
Our space program is perhaps the greatest technological achievement in the history of this country, and yet the Daily Hearld and the news media ignore it. Now 836 astronauts and thousands of our most brilliant engineers are being put out to pasture, and not a sound of opposition comes from the media. The Russians and the Chinese are celebrating the fact that they will be able to surpass us and push their programs well beyond ours. We have been able to fund two wasteful wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (and now the Libyan war) and for some reason have not found sufficient funds for our most important program! The technological developments of the space program have advanced our lives beyond our wildest imaginations. The Daily Hearld would do well to write a series of articles about all the advances we enjoy every day that came from it.
The cancellation of the shuttle and manned space programs is a huge mistake, and I am afraid future generations will suffer because of it. Millions of Americans should be upset enough to write to President Obama and object to this terrible decision!
Melvin S. Markson
Mount Prospect