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A Dispatch From Our Correspondent in the Public Schools

Lost In Space 

Our Young People Need the Great Quest- Again

by Steve Mcfarland

The story of man’s quest for space has always fascinated me, particularly since I grew up in the sixties during the intense race to beat the Russians to the moon.  Having just read the memoir of Chris Kraft, NASA’s first flight director and a man who oversaw missions from Mercury to Apollo, I am more amazed than ever at what was accomplished.  It is also enlightening to understand the bitterness that exists from those such as Kraft at the lack of vision, purpose and public interest that is prevalent today in regards to the space program. 

Most schools across America continue to struggle with low-test scores in the areas or reading, math and science.  We have made great strides in overcoming math and reading deficiencies.  Early brain development research has made incredible discoveries that have aided children with reading and cognitive skills that increase math comprehension.  However, across the board our children struggle with science.  The reasons perhaps are many, but perhaps the most disturbing is the lack of interest. 

In his book, Kraft indicates that the loss of public interest for the space program was the most disturbing part of closing the book on Apollo.  There had been many wonderful ideas, even before Mercury to put man on Mars or at least develop a fully operating space station for research.  By November 1969 when Pete Conrad, Al Bean and Dick Gordon flew Apollo 12, four short months after Armstrong’s historic steps, America had already turned off their television.  Apollo 18, 19 and 20 were scrubbed and when Gene Cernan left those last footprints on the moon, America had long since lost interest and we were really lost in space.

It can be easily argued that the greatest technological and scientific advancements in the twentieth century were a direct result of the space program.  It could further be reasoned that future advancements would be as the result of a brave attempt to land a man on the surface of Mars.  And it would do wonders for our young people.

 There is a level of sadness that I feel for young America today.  If I were to try and pinpoint the prevailing characteristic of modern youth I would say “passionless”.  Say what you want about the sixties – it had passion.  Passion to fight, passion to flee, passion to play loud music, passion to protest, passion to go to the moon and back, and even passion to grow up.  It must take a bold determination to put us back into space again with a purpose and something such as putting a human footprint on Mars may just create the needed passion this generation lacks.

Science scores may never reach the level experts would like until we give students a scientific dream.  It is embarrassing that little in today’s curriculum addresses the heroic adventure that was the American space program.  Our kids need to hear the story of Al Shepard’s first space flight in 1961 on a rocket that had not had one single successful trial flight before he lifted off.  Talk about courage.  They need to know the story of Scott Carpenter’s one and only flight chasing the fireflies that John Glenn had seen earlier and almost running out of fuel before landing 250 miles off course.  And they need to know Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee and Ed White.       

I am one that would stand and cheer our President for saying we choose to go to Mars before this decade ends.  We did it in the sixties while fighting in Vietnam and we should do it now while fighting terrorists here and across the globe.  The sad reality is that our culture would fight against the cost, the risks and environmental impacts that may exist.  During the early Mercury flights, we sent a few chimpanzees into space and would give them light electrical shocks if they failed to push the right buttons.  I could see animal rights folks strapping themselves to the rocket engines to keep that from happening.  We are content, unfortunately, with robotic testing but I could never be as inspired watching a robotic lunar rover as I would with a human being on board.  Like Al Shephard before them, would it not be great watching someone tee off on the surface of Mars?  We could find out finally if Shephard’s golf ball really flew 800 yards.

Steve McFarland