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Sunday, August 25, 2013

Calm before the storm

Another weekend drawing to a close. Finished my press kit for Travelers Road. Now I'm having second guess jitters. Anxious, nervous, impatient and so want this to happen. After writing this I'm going to jot down names and dates on a 3 X 5 card. Name of the assistant editor I sent my original query and the date I sent it. The name of the agent I want to meet. Perhaps a fact or two about his agency. Hours spent researching and borderline stalking of this guy online, and for what? Volunteering at the con seemed like a great idea. Confession time: I'm not sure where I'm going to park or if I'm carpooling with someone. Okay; take a deep breath and try to relax. I've prepared for this, now I have to let things unfold and be there when the opportunity comes.

 Worrying about something doesn't make it better. All it does is raise your blood pressure. So, let's think about something else.

There's a new spaceport in town on Wallops Island in Virginia. From what I'm reading here in the article they're going to have a night launch that will be visible to part of the eastern seaboard, if the weather cooperates.
Important fact #1: This mission is an important step in getting back to the moon. Not only that but what we learn from this will also apply to an eventual Mars mission.
Interesting factoid: The minotaur V rocket is a repurposed Peacekeeper ICBM from the Cold War days.  The irony just keeps rolling doesn't it?

The Mars colonization effort looks to be proceeding. This is a private effort led by Mars One co-founder Bas Lansdorp. The goal is to put volunteer astronauts on Mars by 2023, followed by a second round of volunteers in 2025. What makes this different? They won't be coming back. Brave souls one and all. That sums up my feelings about the plan, this one way mission to Mars. My inner voice is saying; 'about damn time.' Is it foolhardy? Safe? It is definitely not safe nor is it the comfortable thing to do. What I do know is it will be the right thing to do. Those brave souls who go first will most likely die trying, but that's not what we humans are about. Yes, they'll go down in the annuls of history as the pioneers of space. Enshrined in glory. Their names will go alongside Aldrin and Armstrong.  First among firsts.
We humans thrive on this sort of challenge. The reward is the journey, not the destination. Okay, I've channelled Carl Sagan enough. I'm going to cast my lot in with David Brin. Find your spine America. Nut up or shut up. Cowboy up and claim what is humankind's manifest destiny.
Gentlemen, I salute you.
 

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