43 years after “the fire”

Grissom: Would be unimpressed by a dithering space program

Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee died in the Apollo 1 fire 43 years ago today. I can’t help but think that Gus, in particular, would be very unhappy with the state of America’s space program today.

A new committee to plan “the future” of the space program is starting. Previously, another committee put us on the course to return to the moon and go one to Mars. That earlier committee gave the go-ahead for the Constellation program. Now, the government wants to cut back and pretend it’s still interested in breaking ground in space travel.

No. As Gus would have said, “no bucks, no Buck Rogers.” And, if the previous committee’s recommendations are to be reversed, what good could come from the new committee’s recommendations?

Three astronauts gave their lives in pursuit of the moon. Who would care much about pursuing some changeable program, devoid of any real commitment?

It should be this way: either the government should commit to a long-term space program—or it should stop pretending and give up the high frontier to the Chinese or any other country that really decides to try.