Beware the Conventional 'Wisdom'...
especially when it deals with the presence or absence of weapons of mass destruction.

A Commentary on Today's Court-Imposed Start of 'Gay Marriage' in Massachusetts
Colleen Carroll Campbell analyzes the long term trends in the culture's attitude toward marriage.

Two-Thirds of the Way There (in Altitude)

Scaled Composites, LLC

SpaceShipOne reached 212,000 feet during last Thursday's test. That's about two-thirds of the way to the 100 km (62.5 mi) threshold for the Ansari X-Prize for private human spaceflight.

Pope John Paul II Canonizes a Prolife Role Model

"May our era rediscover, by the example of Gianna Beretta Molla, the pure, chaste and fertile beauty of conjugal love, lived as a response to the divine calling," the Pope said, according to an AP report.

W will address the space vision again soon...
...according to this UPI article by Frank Sietzen.

The speech apparently will be timed to coincide with a report by the presidential commission appointed earlier this year to review the space plan and seek broad public comment. The commission, headed by former Pentagon executive Pete Aldridge and featuring leaders from industry, non-profit groups and the military, is expected to release its report in July.

Sources said Bush has been briefed on the hearings held by the commission and is awaiting its report to help frame his forthcoming remarks. Despite the approaching presidential election, the speech, which will reiterate Bush's call for advanced human exploration of space, will not necessarily be made "in a political context."

Mystery Page
What does this Nautilus page imply about the plans of Bigelow Aerospace?

Catholics and the Election
Keith Fournier of Your Catholic Voice has an interesting analysis on how Catholics may decide the outcome of this year's presidential election.

"Though I lived and worked "in the beltway", I no longer do. I am out in the "real world" and I discern an amazing phenomenon brewing in the Catholic community. It is not that most Catholics are necessarily "pro-Bush", though some are. It is the reverse of what some pundits maintain will be the deciding factor in this election. You have heard some refer to a growing "anyone but Bush" sentiment in some circles. I see the opposite among Catholics. There is a growing "anyone but Kerry" sentiment."

Catching up on Space Stuff


The President's Space Commission held its final public hearing in New York City on Monday and Tuesday. The Commission heard from panelists including leaders of space advocacy organizations and NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe and, in its member deliberations, hinted that it would recommend major changes in the way NASA and the space industry do business in its final report.

Contents of presentations from this latest hearing should be up on the Commission web site sometime soon. Just a reminder to click on the 'Contact Us' button to submit your comments to the Commission. Time to comment is growing short. The Commission is due to issue its report to the President in June.

Thirteen space advocacy, industry and policy associations have announced that they have formed an alliance to support the vision of exploring the Moon, Mars and other destinations.

The X-Prize for private suborbital human spaceflight has taken on new money and a new name.

A deal between two emerging entrepreneurial space companies was announced this week. Bigelow Aerospace announced it will launch a prototype of an orbital inflatable habitat aboard a SpaceX Falcon V launch vehicle.

The Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, continue their historic and astounding explorations of the Martian surface. Opportunity has reached the edge of Endurance Crater and provided spectacular imagery. Meanwhile, Spirit continues its journey toward the Columbia Hills.


This approximate true-color image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the impact crater known as "Endurance." NASA/JPL

I haven't been consistent in keeping up with this exciting exploration activity. I've now added the JPL Mars Rover web site to the space section of my permanent links.

The First Thursday in May
Each year, this date is observed as the National Day of Prayer. Here is the Presidential proclamation of the observance.

The annual observance of the educationally oriented Space Day also occurs on the first Thursday in May.

While I doubt there was any coordination on picking this date for these two observances, perhaps it can serve as a reminder that wherever we go in the Universe, we'll never be alone.

Space Access '04
HobbySpace.com provides this rather comprehensive review of this latest annual conference of the emerging space transportation industry, held last weekend in Phoenix, Arizona.

Handover Complete
The International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 8 crew has returned to Earth, while the Expedition 9 crew carries on with ISS operations in orbit.

Saddam's War on Insects
This is one possible explanation for the huge quantity of 'pesticides' found around abandoned Iraqi ammo dumps. However, Ken Timmerman has a more likely explanation, which would blow the roof off the conventional wisdom regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in Iraq.

Pro-Death March
I had the interesting experience of participating in one of the prolife counterprotests at today's pro-abortion rally in Washington, DC. The activity I participated in was organized by Silent No More and was a peaceful, dignified and well-organized response to the so-called 'March for Women's' Lives', a title which ignores the violence abortion does to unborn children and the serious suffering it has caused for many women.

The pro-abortion march drew an estimated 250,000 people, comparable to some of the recent years attendance estimates at the March for Life, which is held every year on a week-day in Washington on or around January 22, the anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 imposition of abortion-on-demand in the United States.

A Real Hero

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.
John 15:13

I don't normally pay much attention to sports figures or other celebrities, but former pro-football player Pat Tillman, like many ordinary citizens, sacrificed everything to protect our freedom.

Space Commission hears more innovative ideas...
...at its public hearing last week in San Francisco.



Contents of presentations from this latest hearing should be up on the Commission web site sometime soon. Just a reminder to click on the 'Contact Us' button to submit your comments to the Commission. Time to comment is growing short. The Commission is due to issue its report to the President in June.

Still Trying to Party like It's 1992
John Kerry has released a pro-abortion campaign ad.

Language, the Culture and Space Policy
Dwayne Day writes in The Space Review on the 'feminization of American space policy', discussing the history of the language used by American leaders to describe the rationales for our space activities. He describes how by the nineties, the language tended to emphasize concepts such as inspiring and educating children.

This analysis has a lot of merit, but there is another aspect that deserves a look. Providing for one's children or for future generations is not a uniquely feminine trait, but also a strong masculine trait and responsibility. I don't think it is a coincidence that the current President who has rejuvenated our drive to explore the Solar System is also one who espouses a 'culture of life' (borrowing Pope John Paul II's phrase) which welcomes and protects children before and after birth.

Exploration, development and eventual settlement of the Solar System is a part of a positive world view of the future, in contrast to the 'limits to growth' world view which fears future generations and espouses aggressive population control around the world. W has revived the Reagan Mexico City policy curtailing US support of abortion in U.S. funded 'family planning' programs abroad.

"We will finish the work of the fallen."
President Bush has just finished addressing the nation on Iraq and is now taking questions. He outlined the grave situation in Iraq, acknowledging that these have been "tough weeks in that country", and pledged to stand firm in helping the Iraqi people defend themselves while pressing ahead with the June 30 transfer of power. The leadership of the President in standing firm in this critical situation is vital to America's future, and indicates once more that he should continue to hold office for another term.

Meanwhile, some of the domestic opposition have become totally unhinged, as shown by an ad sponsored by Democrats in a local Florida paper (the publisher of which says running the ad "slipped through" and shouldn't have happened). BTW, isn't threatening a public official potentially a criminal act meriting Secret Service investigation?

This Holy Week
This week marks Divine intervention in human history. Yesterday was the start of Passover, commemorating the time when God intervened to deliver the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Tomorrow evening begins the holiest time of the Christian calendar, the Easter Triduum marking Jesus' Passion, Death and Resurrection as redemption for our sins.


Link from www.truecatholic.org, artist not listed.

Have a blessed and happy Easter and Passover!

A Historic Clearance for Space
The FAA has announced that it has granted a launch license to Scaled Composites to conduct suborbital spaceflights with the company's SpaceShipOne vehicle. Scaled Composites is a leading contender for the X-Prize for demonstrating suborbital spaceflight.

UPDATE: Scaled Composites did not waste any time to exercise its license, conducting another powered flight test on Thursday morning.

Bipartisan Support in Congress Growing for W's Space Plans
Frank Sietzen reports that key lawmakers appear to be coming together to provide the initial downpayment in NASA's budget for the space initiative.

Particularly interesting in the UPI article is what it says about the White House's strategy in promoting the initiative:

According to congressional sources, several House members complained Bush has failed to say anything more about the moon-Mars plan since his Jan. 14 speech, and his silence has been interpreted as a cooling of support. The group was told the White House was silent, not because Bush was rethinking his grand space plan, but was instead trying to avoid further politicization.

One source told UPI that Bush would "keep his powder dry until the myths, legends, and political barbs on this strategy subside," and the president probably would speak again about his space plan sometime late in his re-election campaign.

This would counter some of the usual punditry concerning W's handling of the initiative, and may also provide insight into how the Bush Administration handles other priority issues, sometimes 'under the radar' of the Old Media.

NASA space fly-off considered.
Retired Adm. Craig E. Steidle, head of NASA's new Exploration Office (Code T), says a fly-off competition for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) might be advantageous to the agency's exploration goals. Adm Steidle is drawing on his experience with the military's Joint Strike Fighter project, for which such a competition was held.

W signs bill to protect second victim.

White House photo by Paul Morse

President Bush today signed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (also known as Laci and Conner's Law). In his remarks at the White House signing ceremony, the President said:

"With this action, we widen the circle of compassion and inclusion in our society, and we reaffirm that the United States of America is building a culture of life."

X43A Experimental Flight Success!

NASA

The X43A experimental vehicle is designed to test hypersonic flight technology. Saturday's successful test took place off the California coast.

An Example of Why This Election Matters
On Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which would prosecute, in cases under federal jurisdiction, an attack on a pregnant woman and her unborn child as an attack on two persons. The measure passed on a vote of 61-38. One of the 'No' votes was that of Senator John Kerry. President George W. Bush is eager to sign the bill into law.

Old Media Echo Chamber
In this week's Space Review, Dwayne Day explains the sloppy journalism behind the common impression conveyed by the Old Media that President Bush is proposing to spend 'a trillion dollars' on 'a mission to Mars'. One more example of why to take what you learn from the Old Media (formerly the 'mainstream media') on any significant public issue with more than a few grains of salt.

Feast of the Annunciation

Link from Knights of Columbus, Artist not listed

The Word being made flesh through the power of the Holy Spirit. In our current times, this feast highlights the value of human life, and is often marked as the Day of the Unborn Child.

Space Commission Hearings


The President's Space Commission held its third public hearing session yesterday and today in Atlanta. A highlight was testimony by space entrepreneurs on the need to engage the private sector in space activities. A reminder that the commission is soliciting public input on its web site (Click on the 'Contact Us' button.).

The Shores of Mars
Catching up with a busy week which featured the historic announcement that scientists have conclude there was an ancient sea where the rover Opportunity is now studying the Martian surface.

Next step for SETI
As Project Phoenix has concluded, an announcement of funding for the more advanced Allen Telescope Array.

St Joseph's Day
Today is the feast day of my patron saint. (Since my middle name is Patrick, I have a sort of double-header this week for patron saints.)

Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who implored your help and sought your intercession were left unassisted. Full of confidence in your power I fly unto you and beg your protection. Despise not O Guardian of the Redeemer my humble supplication, but in your bounty, hear and answer me. Amen.

"So Many Stars"
SETI Institute scientist Pete Backus, a good friend from my California days, reflects on the conclusion of Project Phoenix, which recently completed its final observing campaign at the Arecibo radiotelescope in Puerto Rico, in articles here and here. Pete assures us that the search has only just begun.

Vice President Cheney gets to the point...
...on the threat of terrorism in the world, and challenges Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's consistency and credibility on security issues. The text of the VP's speech is here.

Expelling snakes from DC
On this St. Patrick's Day, I'm happy to report that two of Washington, DC's most notorious abortion clinics, Hillcrest NW & Hillcrest SE have closed down, apparently due to staffing shortages and many prayers. (I've often joined the group praying the Rosary on Saturday mornings at Hillcrest, NW over the past three years.) Thanks be to God!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!


Artist unknown, Link by Catholic Forum

Catholic Forum provides descriptions of St. Patrick here and here.

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort me and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Pope John Paul II's Role in History
Michael Novak marks another milestone in JPII's papacy in this National Review article.

A Distant World
A distant icy world further blurs the distinction between the planet Pluto and smaller objects beyond the realm of the planets. The newly discovered object, named 'Sedna', from the name of a sea goddess among Arctic peoples, was found and characterized by a combination of ground and space-based observatories.

Looking Deep into the Past

The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft.
One day to the next conveys that message; one night to the next imparts that knowledge.
Psalm 19:2-3

The Hubble Space Telescope's Ultra-Deep Field imagery was released today, showing humankind's deepest view in space and time of the universe to date. The image includes light emitted from objects when the universe was just 400 million years old. The current age of the universe has been determined to be approximately 13.7 billion years.


Photo credit: NASA/ESA/S. Beckwith(STScI) and The HUDF Team

For more background information on this awesome image, go to the NASA press release.

Everybody loves Hubble!


NASA

Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative members of Congress are speaking out to urge NASA to reconsider allowing the Hubble Space Telescope to cease operating without further servicing of some kind. A House Resolution was introduced today by Mark Udall (D-CO). Meanwhile, Senator Sam Brownback, Senate Space Subcommittee chairman, says servicing Hubble should have priority over some International Space Station (ISS) tasks. Proponents say some unconventional approaches could address Shuttle safety concerns.

Mars once 'drenched' in water.
The Space.com report and a plethora of other articles linked at SpaceToday.net.

This is becoming a really interesting week.
First day of the tenth annual 'March Storm' on Capitol Hill organized by ProSpace is going real well. In a blessing of fortunate timing, 'Stormers' are able to add encouragement for passage of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 on the House floor this Thursday. The bill will establish a regulatory environment which will enable the growth of a commercial human spaceflight industry.

While not a part of the ProSpace agenda, the buzz picked up from some Hill staffers is that there is a serious effort afoot to save the Hubble Space Telescope from early demise. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, NASA is set to announce 'significant findings' from Mars Tuesday afternoon.

'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet'


NASA/JPL

The Sky & Telescope article correctly states in describing this image of Saturn from the Cassini spacecraft, which will arrive there in July.

Ash Wednesday and 'The Passion'
Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Amy Welborn provided a link to a Lenten season resource site.

After work, I went to the 4:30 PM showing of The Passion of the Christ in Old Greenbelt. I don't have a whole lot of words to describe this powerful experience. It makes more real the familiar story of what He suffered for me and you and all of us. The cruel actions of His tormenters and executioners were not uniquely those of Jews or Romans, but of sinful human beings. Which comes right back to His act of saving love depicted in the movie.

"...to serve generations hence. "
DC space policy consultant Jim Muncy looks at the most compelling justification for W's new space initiative in his Washington Times guest column today. He gets to the point when he says:

"What counts now is whether and how every participant in America's space enterprise, including not just scientists and engineers but politicians, entrepreneurs and taxpayers alike, will look into their hearts and commit themselves to serve generations hence. "

Arnie demands San Fran obey the law
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered the state AG to take legal action to terminate the city's 'gay marriage' factory.

Ten Myths about the Bush Space Plan
Per Jeff Foust at his Space Politics Blog: At a panel discussion in DC Tuesday evening, Jim Muncy of PoliSpace listed ten common myths surrounding W's space plans:

10) The Bush agenda is responsible for killing Hubble.
9) It leaves us dependent on the Russians.
8) It's a scheme to channel more money to Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
7) It kills ISS.
6) It's a political ploy to benefit the President in Florida.
5) The Moon is boring.
4) This will cost $1 trillion / Bush hasn't budgeted enough.
3) Robots can do this better and cheaper.
2) This is about science.
1) It's about NASA.

W defies the filibluster again.
President Bush installed Bill Pryor to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by recess-appointment today. The usual suspects are once again having conniptions. NARAL, in its press release, shrieked that:

President Bush today appointed one of the most virulently anti-choice and anti-privacy judicial activists to the Eleventh Circuit federal bench, Bill Pryor.

Way to go, W!!!

Considering another run...
...as an independent presidential candidate is Ralph Nader. Obviously, this won't endear him to Democratic Party activists who've never gotten over the fact that Al Gore is not in the White House.

21 things going for W...
...are listed by ElectionProjection.com. I'd add at least one more, the advantage he gains from upholding a prolife position.

Senate Subcommittee Field Hearing...
...in Houston Wednesday on the President's new space vision. The panelists expressed a strong emphasis on innovative ways to engage the private sector in a big way. Committee links to remarks by the panel and elected officials are here.

My Input to the Space Commission


The President's Space Commission is currently seeking public input. Go to the commission's web site and select the 'Contact Us' button to submit your input. Here is what I submitted to the commission today, including my personal view on 'why' explore and open the frontier and some recommendations on how to go about it:


I am an engineer who works in the space industry and I am active in several space advocacy organizations. However, the views presented here are my own, and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer or of the organizations I am affiliated with.

Why explore space? Reasons commonly given are science, spin-offs or inspiration. Certainly, basic science must be a part of our space activities, as pure research can contribute future practical benefits that cannot now be imagined while provoking the deepest questions about our place in the universe. Certainly, technologies developed from earlier space efforts have found their way into many aspects of our everyday lives. And those early space activities certainly did inspire many young people, including myself, to study challenging subjects and pursue careers that contribute significantly to our society’s economic and technological advancement.

However, that inspiration was based on the expectation that those early explorers were opening the path for many to follow in our lifetime. Does the fact that that hasn’t happened indicate that the importance of opening this frontier to society is not sufficiently recognized?

I would like to propose that the opening of this expansive frontier would make a crucial difference to the economic and social/cultural future of our society.

The potential of space activity to spur new and growing industries has direct relevance to some of the down-to-earth problems that concern people today. The need to create new jobs as familiar ones migrate overseas or are replaced by automated processes is becoming increasingly evident. So, too, is the need to generate new revenue to meet the needs of an increasingly older population as the traditional Social Security and Medicare programs and private retirement plans face an uncertain future.

Looking to the longer term, does the cultural worldview tend to welcome future generations or fear them as a danger to the Earth’s environment? Population trends in America are tending toward fewer young workers supporting an increasingly older population. Populations in Western Europe are in actual decline and some would impose this dismal prospect on the rest of the world through coercive population control programs.

But isn’t there a more hopeful prospect for the future that doesn’t pit people against the planet? Professor John Lewis of the University of Arizona, in his book Mining the Sky, describes the potential abundance of resources in the Solar System, particularly in the asteroids. Might not the most compelling justification for exploration be to provide future generations with the resources to sustain their lives and the ability to live in greater freedom?

For our space exploration plans to fulfill this great potential, it is important that they be carried out in a sustainable way that truly enables the merchants and the settlers to follow the explorers. This rules out ‘business as usual’ as practiced by NASA and the aerospace industry over the past few decades.

The proposed FY2005 NASA budget offers some hopeful hints of change. The ‘Cargo and Crew Services’ (a.k.a. ‘ISS Transport’) line item to seek alternative means of accessing the International Space Station and the ‘Centennial Challenges’ prizes for innovative technology development are good starts and should be ramped up and broadened in future years. Data purchase of, for example, high-resolution lunar mapping would be another way for NASA to take more of a customer role for entrepreneurial space ventures.

The traditional Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) should not be allowed to add to the cost of the exploration effort, and Congress should look at reforming or bypassing the usual procurement labyrinth.

While the exploration program sees the Moon as a venue to test systems and practice for Mars exploration, it should also serve as a catalyst where NASA acts as a customer for commercial services provided on or near the Moon. This could jump start economic activity on the Moon utilizing local resources. A sustained industrial presence on the Moon would also enable affordable science activity to continue after the exploration program has moved on to Mars.

Congress should pass pending legislation to enable new commercial space industries. The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 will codify the regulatory environment so that today’s fledgling suborbital spaceflight industry has a chance to grow into a robust orbital transportation industry that can contribute to the sustainability of the exploration effort. The Zero-G/Zero-Tax bill will provide incentives for new space industries that will follow the explorers into the Solar System.

In summary, to carry out the exploration program sustainably over decades requires challenging entrenched ways of doing business and engaging the participation of the private sector. And, once again, we need to communicate how the drive to explore connects with the fundamental social/cultural imperative to provide for the life and liberty of future generations.

A perspective on Mel Gibson's Passion...
...and the controversy surrounding it by Rabbi Daniel Lapin. One of many resources being provided to accompany the film is Catholic Passion Outreach. Here is the movie's official site, which includes a link to theatre listings

Sanity come to a Florida appeals court...
...with a decision in favor of Terri Schiavo, her family and Governor Jeb Bush.

Not sure who to attribute this to, but it's making its way around the 'net.

SETI Rising
The SETI team is back at the Arecibo radiotelescope in Puerto Rico for another Project Phoenix observing campaign. Follow their progress via the Arecibo Diaries and SETICam.

President Bush's Space Initiative
The Aldridge Commission which will further define W's vision has established its website. The first public hearing is set for Wednesday in DC. Go to the 'Contact Us' button on the website to post comments to be forwarded to the Commission.

Roe No More
From LifeNews.com:
"The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has announced that it will hear oral arguments in Norma McCorvey's attempt to overturn the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that overturned pro-life laws across the country banning abortion."

I'm not a legal expert, so I don't know the probability that this development will directly lead to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, but something big may be underway here.

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah, you probably know by now, but just to mark forty years (ouch!) since the Beatles first came to America.

Signs of Innovation in NASA Budget
The FY2005 NASA budget proposed by the White House earlier this week includes some items long sought by those in the space community who have been urging greater government enabling of the entrepreneurial private sector.

The Alternative Access program, now known as Crew & Cargo Services, is funded under Code M (Human Spaceflight) under the ISS line-item (pdf). The description states:

It is necessary for NASA to establish a transportation capability or crew and cargo for the space station program after the Shuttle is retired. NASA intends to meet this need through the
purchase of services for cargo and crew transport using existing and emerging capabilities, both domestic and foreign.

Also, in the Human and Robotic Technology line item (pdf), there is an initiative called 'Centennial Challenges' which is a fund ($20 million in FY2005) to award prizes for innovative solutions to spacefaring technological challenges.:

The Centennial Challenge Program is an experimental approach to stimulating innovation and competition in technical areas of interest to NASA. In commemoration of the Wright Brothers' seminal flight at Kitty Hawk, the Centennial Challenge program will establish purse awards for a portfolio of technical accomplishments that could advance the state of civil space exploration and aeronautics.

If these initiatives are followed through, it will indicate that NASA is starting to reform its way of doing business and looking beyond traditional bureaucratic practices to meet the challenge of human exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Spell-checking in the Age of Blog
The spell-checker on Blogger is quite useful in checking for typos when I'm ready to post on this blog. It doesn't have the most comprehensive or contemporary vocabulary, though. I was a little disappointed when I found it did not recognize words such as 'prolife' or 'spaceflight'. What I found most astonishing, however, was that it did not recognize the words 'blog', 'blogger' and 'blogging'.

Dems Nomination Race Narrowing the Field.
Senator Joe Lieberman drops out as John Kerry wins several primaries and John Edwards wins South Carolina.

Around the Beltway and the Solar System
President Bush has sent his $2.4 trillion FY2005 budget to Capitol Hill yesterday. NASA's portion of that is $16.2 billion (~0.67% of the total). Outline and detailed downloads can be found here.

The White House announced the membership of the commission that will start to define the specifics of President Bush's vision for exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Finally, both Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, are ready to roll. Check out the NASA/JPL project website for continuing updates.

One Year Ago,...


NASA

...February 1, 2003. I recall hearing on the car radio the first report that the Shuttle Columbia had lost communication and was 'overdue' for its planned landing. I immediately felt a pit in my stomach. Since the Shuttle is a gliding vehicle, I knew that 'overdue' meant that it would not land, that this would be another grim day like when the Challenger went down seventeen years earlier. Getting home an hour later, the continuous replay of that terrible fireball in the Texas morning sky was underway.

A year has passed, with much soul searching within NASA and the whole space community. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) concluded in August that lapses in a flawed 'NASA culture' played a primary role in allowing the accident to happen.

At the same time, the CAIB held the nation responsible for not providing NASA with a clear vision toward which to direct its efforts. By then, space vision and policy were quietly being developed by the White House and Congress, which led to President Bush's announcement on January 14 of a new vision for exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Let's honor the memory of the Columbia Seven by seeing that this vision is carried out and is implemented in a way that truly opens space as a frontier for humanity

President Bush said some memorable words when he addressed the nation that afternoon:

"In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."

The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home."

At the memorial service in Houston three days later, he described the calling to carry on the work of exploring space:

"This cause of exploration and discovery is not an option we choose; it is a desire written in the human heart."

Speaking Truth to Power (Boston Style)
The leadership of the Catholic Church in America is starting to find its voice and take a stand on Catholic politicians who profess a 'prochoice' (pro-abortion) position. This could prove especially awkward for the emerging Democratic frontrunner for president.

It should be understood that this stand is not intended to condemn a public official. It is meant to challenge him or her to question their position on such a fundamental moral question as the direct killing of innocent human lives, and also to educate the public on the seriousness of the Church's position on this matter.

Senate Committee Looks at NASA's Future
The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to look at the future of NASA. Administrator Sean O'Keefe testified first, followed by a panel which included provocative testimony by Rick Tumlinson of the Space Frontier Foundation. The Committee page with links to the witness' testimony is here.

Day of Remenbrance
NASA today took time to remember the anniversaries of the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia tragedies, all three of which fall this week. Administrator Sean O'Keefe said that the time of remembrance should also be a time of rededication to avoid the kind of lapses that led to the fatal accidents.

News from the 'Shire
New Hampshire Primary results: Kerry wins, Dean second, followed by Clark, Edwards & Lieberman.

Several Interesting Articles
Keith Cowing argues for considering other options to save the Hubble Space Telecope from a premature end.

Also, four new articles at The Space Review today. Among them, Phil Smith argues that President Bush's new initiative is the wrong approach. This article really does lay out a broad vision of the human future of developing and settling space, largely through the private sector. I wouldn't necessarily agree that the Bush plan precludes this vision, only that the plan, broadly defined so far, only addresses NASA's role in cutting edge exploration. What is needed is a complementary plan to involve the private sector and enable it to follow the explorers outward.

Jeff Foust looks at the Near Earth Asteroids as a third option. What I noticed about W's address, is that he only laid out a schedule as far as establishing a presence on the Moon with related infrastructure by 2020. Beyond that, the President spoke of "human missions to Mars and to worlds beyond", without providing a timeline. Whether knowingly or not, he leaves the door open for the nation to head to the asteroids ahead of Mars if the opportunity, or especially the threat, is deemed more important at that time.

Missing the Big Story
If 100,000, perhaps 200,000 people, especially a largely young crowd, marched through the streets of Washington to address a serious public issue, the major media organizations would surely provide abundant coverage and analysis, right? Well, in case you missed it last week, check out here and here for an explanation.

No Work Today
My day job, anyway. Did some real work this morning, shoveling snow. Then spent some time catching up on web articles.

Even with the New Hampshire Primary tomorrow, I suspect the most watched analyst around here the past 24 hours was not a political pundit, but the Weather Channel's winter storm expert, Paul Kocin.

One Giant Leap for my Blog



This image shows one of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's first breathtaking views of the martian landscape after its successful landing at Meridiani Planum on Mars. JPL press Release

This is an experiment to show that I can display a picture on my blog. The catch is that I can't post pictures directly on to my blog, since I'm using the free version of Blogger. This image will remain only as long as JPL maintains the link to this picture at the URL I've posted. (NASA imagery is public domain.)

Opportunity Bounce
Opportunity has landed, bounced and is rolling to a stop while maintaining communication. CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former VP Al Gore and a couple of congressmen are in the control room congratulating the team.

Indication of '+Y Petal Down', still modulating signal could indicate continued rolling.

Apparently, vehicle is now stationary, laying sideways with its signal to Earth 'multipathing', giving the appearance of continued rolling. Sideways position is not a problem. When petals open, the vehicle will be uprighted.

Opportunity is set to explore the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, rich in the mineral hematite, a strong indicator of the presence of water at some point in the region's history. For ongoing updates on Opportunity's post-landing activities and Spirit's recovery activities, go to the JPL project web site.

Mars Exploration Update
Controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are troubleshooting the serious operational anomalies affecting the Spirit rover, while also preparing for its sister ship Opportunity to arrive on the other side of the planet late Saturday. Follow the latest developments at JPL's project web site.

Meanwhile, the European Space Agency reports that its Mars Express orbiter has confirmed the presence of water ice in the south polar cap of Mars.

Still Trying to Party like It's 1992
Joel Rosenberg writes that public attitudes on abortion are changing, but the Democratic presidential candidates just don't seem to get it.

Conservatives should know better...
...than to uncritically accept supposed 'facts' sensationalized in the Old Media. However, some conservatives have criticized President Bush's space initiative as fiscally irresponsible, based on the assumption that it would be a 'trillion dollar' effort. The criticism might be valid if that figure were true, but Jim Oberg explains that it would not be nearly that costly.

Citizens of any political persuasion can support making the effort more affordable with a greater payoff by advocating for a greater involvement of the private sector so that it can follow the explorers outward.

A Part of Our Childhood
Bob Keeshan, aka Captain Kangaroo, has passed away at age 76. His show started in 1955, the year I was born.

Speaking Truth to Power
This was my eighth March for Life, but I am still awed by the power of meeting so many nice people who've taken the time and effort to come from many places to stand for life in the nation's capital.

The memorable events began last night with the packed, standing-room-only National Vigil Mass at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This morning started on Capitol Hill where I expressed my point of view to Senators Mikulski & Sarbanes (via filling out a form in their office lobbies). In the same Hart Senate Office Building, I then heard one of the most stirring prolife addresses ever, delivered by Father Frank Pavone. (Hopefully, a transcript or, better yet, a video will be available soon.)

The March itself was, as always, such a powerful experience. Near the end of the March, as Constitution Ave. ascends Capitol Hill, looking back at the sight of a sea of people and banners stretching many blocks distant gives a real sense of the power of this movement.

After attending a couple of post-March receptions, at 6 PM I started back toward Union Station to catch the Metro, but had one more stop. In front of the Supreme Court were two groups. One was a pro-abortion group chanting the same old tired slogans ("Not the Church, not the state, blah, blah, blah, blah!") At the other end of the plaza, an event called Silent No More, where women described the searing experiences of past abortions, and the healing and forgiveness they've felt in coming to terms with them. One group still in denial, the other 'silent no more'.

A long day, where the inspiration more than makes up for the tired legs and feet. I am quite hopeful about the future.

Why We March

This Thursday, January 22, marks the 31st anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions which imposed abortion-on-demand in the United States. Once again, concerned citizens will gather for the annual March for Life, which in recent years has usually drawn more than 100,000 participants. Now, why do so many people consider it so important to take time on a weekday to come to Washington, DC at the coldest time of the year to make their voice heard on this matter?

Before I go on any further, I need to say a couple of things. First, nothing in this article is meant to condemn anyone who has had an abortion or has been involved in abortion in some way. Far from condemning those with an abortion in their past, the people in the prolife movement are about healing and forgiveness, and want it to be clear that there is hope after abortion. Post-abortion counseling can be found through many church denominations and pregnancy counseling centers.

And second, while the prolife movement consists largely of people with strong religious convictions who feel called by God to defend the defenseless, that doesn’t make the protection of human life a narrow, religious issue. The facts that the defenseless exist and that they deserve protection in the human family can be persuasively advocated by non-religiously reasoned arguments.

First, let’s start with a little scientific background (from the Science for Unborn Human Life website) about how each of us began our lives as unique human beings. A new human being is conceived when a sperm fertilizes an egg. The sperm has 23 chromosomes and so does the egg. But the fertilized egg has 46, half from each parent, and is genetically unique. These 46 chromosomes, which are fixed at conception, establish the child's sex and are a blueprint for how it will develop, both during pregnancy and after birth.

Blood vessels start to form very early, about 13-18 days after fertilization. Then, on about the 20th day - nearly the end of the third week - the foundation of the brain, the spinal cord, and the entire nervous system is established. The heart begins to beat on about the 22nd day after conception, circulating blood throughout the child. The arms begin to form on about day 26, followed by the beginnings of the legs on day 28, the same day that the mouth opens for the first time.

Both the eyes and ears are developing rapidly during the seventh week after conception. At this time, the thumbs, neck, heels of the feet and all of the fingers are also present. Taste buds begin to form during the eighth week after conception. All parts of the limbs are apparent at this time. In addition, the fingers and toes have lengthened and are completely separated.

By the end of the eighth week the overwhelming majority (several thousand) of the body's organs, structures and systems have already begun to develop. Few, if any, new structures begin to form after this time. During the remainder of the pregnancy, development consists mainly of growth and maturation of the parts of the body that are already present.

Isolated arm, leg and backward head movements begin at about 7 to 10 weeks after conception. During the ninth week, a regular pattern of breathing movements is observed, with a median frequency of about 30 breaths each hour.

These are just the highlights of how you developed during the first 2-3 months of your life. Now consider that a majority of abortions are performed during the tenth to twelfth week of gestation. Some are performed much later in the pregnancy, when the child has grown larger and any unbiased observer would recognize a baby when they see one.

So why if the evidence so clearly indicates that a unique human life begins at conception, how did the deliberate and violent destruction of that life come to be imposed as a ‘constitutional right’? Time does not permit describing the whole history of abortion or the intertwining influences of the eugenics and population control movements. Let’s start with the socially turbulent late sixties when a growing pro-abortion movement subversively exploited the legitimate aspirations of women for greater rights and participation in society.

Dr. Bernard Nathanson, former abortionist and co-founder of the pro-abortion group NARAL, has since changed his mind and heart and is now a leading prolife advocate. He points out the disinformation at the heart of the pro-abortion campaign.

- “The statistics that we gave to the American public about illegal abortions annually; the statistics we fabricated regarding the number of women dying from illegal abortions annually; all of these matters were pure fabrication and still persist to this very day.”

- “We spoke of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths a year. I confess that I knew the figures were totally false. It was a useful figure, widely accepted, so why go out of our way to correct it with honest statistics?”

- “We in NARAL were in the business of coining slogans principally for the media . . . we scattered catchy slogans for them . . . to use . . . in their stories. Slogans like “reproductive rights,” “freedom of choice,” “pro-choice.” For many years we’ve known them to be hollow and meaningless. They’re just catchy and, essentially, without substance.”

The movement made rapid progress. California, New York and a few other states passed ‘liberalized’ abortion laws (though some other states rejected them). But what embedded abortion in American law were two Supreme Court cases, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, pronounced on January 22, 1973. The combined effect of the two decisions was to effectively impose abortion-on-demand throughout the nine months of pregnancy. Since that time, over forty million human beings have been exterminated by abortion in the United States.

Aside from the grave issue that was decided, the finding that abortion is part of a constitutional ‘right of privacy’ is considered an overreach of judicial power even by some legal scholars who describe themselves as ‘prochoice’. The ‘reasoning’ was based on ‘penumbras’ the justices claim to have seen in the constitution.

Did you know that the two plaintiffs in the Roe and Doe cases, Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano, have filed affidavits to the effect that they were manipulated into their roles and that the decisions should be overturned? You would think that this development would be considered unprecedented in Supreme Court history, but I guess Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, the New York Times, etc. forgot to inform you.

One fact that is becoming evident that abortion-on-demand is not such a great thing for women. Abortion has left many women emotionally and sometimes physically scarred. Campaigns such as Silent No More and Women Deserve Better are tapping into this hidden anguish.

Also evident is the effect on our society, with conflicting attitudes on how we treat not only the unborn, but also the sick, disabled and elderly. Abortion has torn marriages and families apart, and led to a hardened and increasingly violent culture.

So, we have had for the past thirty years, a culture that in some ways has grown cynical, forgoing the promise of a hopeful future for instant gratification, or more often, the resignation to unimaginative “solutions” that pit mother against child or people against the planet. One is reminded of a quote from the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats:

“The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere a ceremony of innocence was drowned.”

These Supreme Court abortion decisions were assumed to have ‘settled’ the issue in our society. Yet much to the consternation of the pro-abortion establishment, the movement of concerned citizens to protect life has only grown in strength over the past thirty years. The prolife movement has pursued multiple paths: educating the public, lobbying and litigating for change, participating in politics, and especially reaching out to help women with unplanned pregnancies.

Particularly significant is that the change in public attitudes on abortion is most striking among young people (who’ve lost peers they’ve never met). This is manifested in polling results and an upsurge of prolife activism among college students, much to the consternation of their professors and, in some cases, their parents. Sort of adds a new twist to some lyrics from the sixties by Buffalo Springfield:

“Young people speaking their minds, Getting so much resistance from behind.”

So the buses are starting to roll, as thousands from distant states once again journey to Washington, where many will gather in prayer the night before or the morning of the March. Then we will rally and march, knowing that those we are trying to defend would some day defend our nation, write great literature, cure disease, compose stirring music, and explore and begin to settle the Solar System.

But more than for their potential accomplishments, we speak out for them simply because of the inherent dignity of each of their lives. In so doing we are responding to a great calling as individuals and as a civilization. And we’ll continue to speak and march and work and pray, confident in the hope that, one of these years, we won’t face the cold winds. Instead, we’ll gather on a warm spring day to celebrate the inclusion of the youngest in the human family within the protection of the law.

"A Time Set Apart"
President gave the State of the Union message. Some highlights included continuing the War on Terror, Patriot Act, making tax cuts permanent, several health care related items and defense of marriage, by constitutional amendment if necessary.

Dems Pelosi & Daschle gave their response. Mostly criticizing W's policies on Iraq, taxes and health care.

The results are in...
...from Iowa. Kerry and Edwards are the big winners. Third place Dean is defiant. Fourth place Gephardt bowing out. Of course, I'm sticking with the incumbent.

Wow!!!
Just this evening saw the LOTR finale, The Return of the King, at the Uptown in DC.

The Inside Story of President Bush's Space Initiative
All three parts of the report by Frank Sietzen Jr. and Keith Cowing are now online, so I'll provide the links here for Part One, Part Two and Part Three.

Apogee Books will publish a book this summer which will further expand on these reports titled New Moon Rising: The Making of George W. Bush's Space Vision and the Remaking of NASA. Should make for quite interesting reading.

W hits another homer this week.
President Bush has made a recess appointment of Charles Pickering to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Watch for squirming Democrats and a howling and shrieking pro-abortion lobby.

Hubble Servicing Cancelled
NASA announced today that there would be no more servicing missions to the Hubble Space Telescope. The decision was made by NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe and was based on the additional post-Columbia safety provisions that would have to be made for Hubble servicing, which would take place in a different orbit than the International Space Station. The Hubble telescope will probably remain operational for several more years, depending on the health of the vehicle's gyroscopes and batteries. Flight software modifications are being developed to enable limited science observations to be conducted with as few as two functioning gyros.

One year ago today,...
...it appeared to be a perfect launch of the STS-107 Columbia mission. Only the engineers reviewing the post-launch videos had any clue that something might have gone wrong...

The Bush Space Initiative
Reaction continues to pour in from around the nation and the world. (See SpaceToday.Net.)

A few notable commentaries:

Mark Whittington says it's about time we pick up where we left off thirty years ago.

Rand Simberg urges a 'Space Program for the Rest of Us'.

Frank Sietzen and Keith Cowing report on 'The inside story of President Bush's space initiative. Part 1 of 3'. This is a very interesting and revealing report. The President expressed a strong awareness of the importance of developing an effective space strategy:

"Bush told his aides the outcome of the processes needed to mean something. It could not be just a stunt or some large spending effort. His new space vision had to emphasize scientific, technological, economic and social importance."

Spirit is on a Roll.
The Rover rolled off the lander this morning and is on the Martian surface. Here is today's JPL press release.

"Human beings are headed into the cosmos."
President Bush gave his long awaited space policy speech this afternoon at NASA HQ. Here is the transcript (PDF). A White House news release and a background sheet were released to accompany the speech.

Some highlights:

-Complete ISS and meet international commitments.

-Return Shuttle to flight, then retire it in 2010.

-New spacecraft, the 'Crew Exploration Vehicle' to begin (unmanned) testing in 2008.

-Return to Moon between 2015-2020. (This was a little confusing. He first said return to the Moon by 2020, but then said crews would start heading there in 2015.)

-Use of the Moon's environment, lighter gravity and resources to head "to Mars and to worlds beyond".

-Establishing a commission chaired by former Air Force Secretary Pete Aldridge to define implementing the plan.

More details, analysis & opinion sure to come.

T-One Day and Counting...
...until the President's Wednesday 3 PM EST speech at NASA HQ, and the Web and Blogosphere are humming with opinion, analysis and speculation. A few highlights:

Glenn Reynolds sees W taking a 'cowboy' approach that would be effective, while offending the politically correct crowd.

Rand Simberg is supportive of the idea, but more skeptical that it is what W has in mind.

Homer Hickam weighs in in the WSJ.

Leonard David shares the views of a number of lunar experts at Space.com.

And the ever prolific Jeff Foust provides several timely analyses at this week's Space Review (including a highly recommended piece by Rick Tumlinson, of the Space Frontier Foundation), a new Space Politics blog, and continually updating links to news & views on the upcoming policy announcement, Spirit on Mars & other news at his SpaceToday.Net.

Prayers are asked for Father Benedict Groeschel, ...
the well-known Franciscan friar who appears on EWTN, who was critically injured in an accident in Orlando, Florida.

Like-minded Blogging Communities
I've decided to register with a couple of blogging communities, St. Blog's Parish and Blogs for Bush. Part of the fun of the Blogosphere is in joining with others with whom one shares common values. Being like-minded doesn't mean unanimity on every topic, and lively discussions can be read.

Some brief background: I'm a middle-aged guy employed in the space industry, working on the Hubble Space Telescope. Of course, all opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer or any other organization I'm affiliated with.

Prior to my current residence in the Maryland suburbs of DC, I lived in Mountain View, CA for 17 years and grew up near Philadelphia. (Go Eagles!)

Here is my local parish. I'm actively involved in space policy advocacy, prolife activities, and sometimes participate in political campaigns.

I launched this blog last July, hopefully raising and connecting ideas that challenged the conventional wisdom. Being a somewhat busy guy with a day job and slow typing fingers, I don't get to blog on every topic or with the depth I would like, nor am I as prolific as some of the bloggers I read. (I'm very thankful for hyperlinks, which allow me to save time explaining every point.) When I get the time, I hope to improve the site, adding more links, a working comment capability etc.

In the meantime, I'll have fun sharing my thoughts and upsetting the conventional wisdom whenever I get the time.

The Big Announcement Next Week?
One person who apparently sees a future in space is President Bush, and if the reports from UPI and Reuters are accurate, we'll be hearing specifics real soon.

Bloggers Debate Space
Mark Shea (Catholic and Enjoying It!) has provoked a lively discussion with his post 'Just to be clear' (actually continuing an earlier thread) on the future in space. He says there isn't any.

My response (about #22 down the comments thread) follows:

"Any human enterprise can be undertaken for legitimate or flawed reasons, and I'll grant that some in the space community may frame their vision in excessively utopian terms. However, opening a new frontier is not a foolish or 'pseudo-eschatological' endeavor.

I believe that God has given us the vision and intellect to do great things for good reason.

We are becoming more aware that an abundance of resources and solar energy exist in the Solar System. The asteroids in particular contain a variety of metals and other resources that will become increasingly accessible in future decades.

As for the practicality, look for the upstart entrepreneurs to begin to undercut the government/industry establishment in lowering the cost of getting into space. There is some serious money starting to back these enterprises, and there may be some interesting news this year.

A civilization that makes investment and sacrifice to open a frontier to provide for future generations is very consistent with a culture of life. This vision is preferable to the pessimistic, static vision of "limits to growth" that has been used to justify coercive anti-life population control policies in recent decades.

Yes, we will take our sinfulness with us when we settle other worlds. But the Church was an active participant in the migration to new frontiers on this planet in human history, and will respond to the call to be with those who settle future frontiers."

UPDATE: Looks like Mark has started another thread this evening on the same theme, if anyone wants to join in.

Star of Wonder
It is rather appropriate that on this weekend of close-up probing of a comet and of the surface of Mars, we observe the feast of the Epiphany, where the Magi's study of the heavens led them to Our Savior.

First pictures...
...from Spirit are shown here at the official JPL/NASA website. The terrain appears rather flat, but is scientifically interesting because Gusev Crater appears to possibly be an ancient lakebed. SpaceToday.net is maintaining a list of links to the enormous number of news reports on the current Mars exploration activities.

"Base petal down"
Call indicates Spirit has landed right-side-up. Simplifies further set-up activities. Solar array deployment is critical. NASA TV signing off coverage until 12:30 AM EST news conference. Continuing mission updates can be read by refreshing this SpaceflightNow.Com page.

Spirit Arrives at Mars' Gusev Crater
(Monitoring NASA TV on cable.) Entry, parachute deploy and retro fire all successful. Initial signal detected upon landing, then lost. Not totally unexpected during several minutes of bouncing. Vehicle has probably come to rest by now. JPL continuing analysis to detect data. JUST Re-ACQUIRED! Joy in JPL control room! Signal is strong. Carrier in lock via Goldstone.

Rep. Hall Finds a New Home
Ralph Hall, well respected prolife & prospace congressman from Texas, has switched parties from Democrat to Republican. The reality-challenged Democratic Party continues to isolate or drive away good leaders like Mr. Hall, Zel Miller of Georgia and the late great Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. Many ordinary Americans have also experienced their party losing touch with their values. I'm one of those proud to call myself a former Democrat.

Stardust Encounters Comet Wild 2
Closest approach occurred this afternoon. An impressive image of the comet's nucleus has been released. A collection of dust particle samples will be returned to Earth in 2004.

The Power of the Blog
It is fitting that my first blogging of 2004 is about... blogging. USA Today describes the impact of the Blogosphere on politics in this article.