realskiers

I love the Udvar Hazy Air and Space Smithsonian museum!  Worth the drive out of town, real hands on, great docents, lots of space (and few crowds!) to roam around in. Seeing a Black Bird up close and personal is impressive, and standing under the Enola Gay gives me the chills.

As to the end of the Space Shuttle Era: dated technology aside, they were the last gasp of a forward looking national sense of self and purpose.  It is with some sadness and some more trepidation that I lament that the sort of progressive Nationalist vision that gave us the space program has been lost in a morass of social myopia and an ever-spreading, small-minded cacophonous discord. 

I'll take the space race of my youth over 'no child left behind' any day of the week.