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Journalism of Courage
If the last century saw man8217;s first powered flight and brought the Earth8217;s neighbours closer, the new one could usher in an era of true space flight, with fresh interest in the Moon, manned missions to Mars and even interstellar travel.
Since the Wright Brothers8217; first powered plane flight on December 17, 1903 8212; the historic event will be reenacted tomorrow on this North Carolina beach. But space exploration in the past 46 years has been limited to orbital activities due to exorbitant costs and propulsion techniques that have barely improved since the first rocket was launched.
If despite their financial difficulties the Russians have been able to provide a minimum service to the international space station after the Columbia tragedy by means of the Soyuz space craft, the Chinese also harbour major space ambitions for the 21st century.
At the centenary celebration of the first Wright Brothers8217; flight here on December 17, President George W. Bush may announce his new space policy, including the possible resumption of flights to the moon.
8216;8216;We are wandering round and round in circles at the edge of this new ocean, going nowhere and doing nothing of importance,8217;8217; complained Space Frontier Foundation founder Rick Tumlinson.
The Association of Space Enthusiasts, one of NASA8217;s most vehement critics, has been pushing for a resumption of moon flights, as well as a manned flight to mars and interstellar space. NASA, on its part, launched six months ago a research programme on nuclear powered space travel that aims to shorten the length of the voyage itself and open new horizons to astronauts.
