Space Program Still Vital

LEAWOOD, KS--(Marketwire - March 11, 2009) - In 1961, when President John F. Kennedy told Congress we'd put a man on the moon by the end of the decade, he knew that the journey of discovery would yield more value than simply beating the Russians to the moon.

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth," were the words of President John F. Kennedy in 1961, as he announced the dramatic and ambitious goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

As we near the 40th anniversary of achieving that landmark with the Apollo 11 lunar landing, the country's space program is at a crossroads. Our Space Shuttle program no longer captures the imagination of our people, and we are even retiring older spacecrafts -- a reflection of the fact that we are scaling back on our missions into space. Our economy is in tatters, and the federal government is looking for places to cut the budget, and NASA is looking like an easy target.

But now is not the time to cut back, according to Tahir Rahman, author of "We Came in Peace for all Mankind: the untold story of the Apollo 11 Silicon Disc," (www.silicondisc.com). As it was in the 1960s, when we faced an unprecedented military build-up in the Cold War and a struggling economy, the purpose and need for a space program has not changed.

"Discovery," Rahman said. "Discovery has always been the primary practical application of the space program. Alexander Fleming wasn't looking for penicillin when he discovered it. He was researching something else. We didn't have a clue what an electron was until JJ Thomson saw the first one in 1897. Now, we have a whole infrastructure based on electronics. Why should we continue to explore space during a recession, when money is tight? Discovery. It was one of the founding principles of this country, and we must not forsake it."

About Tahir Rahman

Tahir Rahman is a space historian and enthusiast who has meticulously researched the goodwill messages, the historic plaque and memorial items from the Apollo 11 mission from July 16-24, 1969.

Contact Information: Contact: Rachel Friedman rachel@newsandexperts.com