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Page 2/The BattalionAVednesday, September 28, 1988
Opinion
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Space shuttle will rise from
the ashes like a phoenix
Assuming no
further delays, to
morrow morning
the Discovery
Space Shuttle will
be flying again,
the first time in
over two and a
half years that
Americans will
have entered
space. Two de
cades worth of
hope and aspirations
that we learned from this tragedy that
we should take no short-cuts, risk noth
ing where space travel and human lives
are involved.
Timm
Doolen
If the Discovery launch is any evi
dence of how future space shots will be
handled, we’ve learned this lesson, at
least for now. Two years of extensive
analysis of the Challenger wreck and
testing for the new launch has gone into
the Discovery’s flight.
some proper diplomacy we’ll be able to
send a joint mission to Mars by 2010.
But con’t expect it. Diplomats don’t al
ways solve their problems the way sci-
enctists would like them to.
from all Ameri
cans will go up with this flight. The suc
cess of this flight will be, in a way, the
culmination of our progress in the 70s
and 80s, especially since the Challenger
accident, and an indication of our fu
ture in space. It won’t let us down.
Some may ask of the importance of
getting the Shuttle flying again on regu
lar missions. It is of extreme essence if
the space program is to £tirther its con
quest of ou r solar system.
The history of our space program in
cludes many successes and a few dev
astating failures. Before the Challenger
tragedy, our space program was a sym
bol of pride for this country — arguably
our most recognizable symbol of patri
otism in recent history.
The space program has a bright fu
ture with four possible long-range mis
sions planned in the near future. Of
course, there’s the mission to Mars,
hopefully possible by the early 21st cen
tury. If the Mars mission can’t be accom
plished, NASA also has plans to possibly
land at Phobos, Mars’ nearby moon.
All the programs that NASA has
planned in years to come are multi-bil
lion dollar operations, bringing up the
question, is it worth the money? Well,
yes, it is. There are many commercial
residuals from the space program, but
whether we reap real benefits from
space or not, one simple word justifies
the expense: knowing. We all want to
know more about the universe we’re liv
ing in. Within the next few years, our
Space Shuttle will carry into sp'acfc a tele
scope that will improve our view of the
universe and give us a better picture of
where we’re at than anything before it.
If that’s not worth the money invested,
what on earth (or off) is?
Space was the one thing that we were
better at than the Soviets. The whole
world watched in 1969 as John Kenne
dy’s dream was fulfilled when Neil Arm
strong placed his foot on the face of the
moon. No Soviet has ever walked on the
moon.
Two lunar projects are possible; one
is a lunar observatory, the other a lunar
base. These long-range projects would
be a giant step to extending our arm
into the cosmos, as would the Mars shot.
Before 1986 we had only lost three
lives to the space program — an Apollo
mission that exploded on the launch
pad. The Soviets have a history of trou
bles with re-entries, losing several lives
quite unexpectedly.
All of these projects will require a
space staion orbitting Earth, which is
projected to be constructed during the
late 1990s. It is to be a joint mission with
help from the Japanese and European
space agencies.
But shouldn’t we take care of our own
problems down here, before we launch
billions into space? No, because we’ll
never get all the problems taken care of
and they’ll always be around. There is
plenty of money allocated for domestic
policies, and we need to utilize our tech
nology as long as we have the resources.
We’re a strong country and it’s good for
us to be a leader in science and technol
ogy as well as the military. Space, right
now, is our greatest means to that end.
We thought we couldn’t fail, but then
the Challenger disaster brought us back
to earth, so to speak. As a nation we re
alized that our prized space program
was inately run by humans, capable of
failure. NASA officials learned that they
couldn’t expect the equipment to run at
110% without the proper testing and
maintenance. Our rush to remain the
best and to prove that it was impossible
for us to fail in space eventually showed
us that it was very possible — much to
the regret of the seven families who
bear the burden of that failure.
But how will the parts of the space
station be lifted into space? By the
American Discovery and its companion
shuttles.
NASA projects 20 flights between
1995 and 1998 just to get the parts into
space. So it is extremely important that
NASA gets its feet on the ground, or
rather off the ground, within the next
few years so our space station can go up
as planned. Then again, when was the
last time that NASA ever did anyhting
on time?
Space travel is also good within our
country, if only a means to bind its citi
zens together. It did just that in the
summer of ’69, when Neil Armstrong
gave us those famous words: “One small
step for man, one giant step for man
kind.” NASA and the space program
have always instilled pride in this coun
try’s citizens. Looking to the future, we
dream of exploring Mars, and can even
envision colonizing other planets, and
some day travelling to other solar sys
tems.
Statistically speaking, space is safer
than a highway, but we expect more of
our spacecraft than we do of our auto
mobiles. After all, the shuttle is the cut
ting edge of space technology — it can’t
fail. But it did, and we can only hope
The Soviets plan to go to Mars, and
they may beat the U.S. to our neighbor
ing planet. For the past decade they
have been testing their cosmonauts for
endurance to see how long a man can
last in zero-gravity. Though the United
States hasn’t remained idle, the Soviets
have jumped ahead of us, in some re
spects, in the quest for Mars. Maybe with
Though you and I won’t be alive to
witness most of these monumental oc
curences, we need to start taking those
first giant steps for mankind now in the
twentieth century. If everything goes as
scheduled, tomorrow morning when
the Discovery goes up, it will be taking
with it the triumphs of a generation of
Americans, and the dreams of genera
tions to come.
Timm Doolen is a sophomore com
puter science major and columnist for
The Battalion.
The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Lydia Berzsenyi, Editor
Becky Weisenfels, Managing Editor
Anthony Wilson, Opinion Page Editor
Richard Williams, City Editor
D AJensen,
Denise Thompson, News Editors
Hal Hammons, Sports Editor
Jay Janner, Art Director
Leslie Guy, Entertainment Editor
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BLOOM COUNTY
Mail Call
Cooke in hot water with Aggie fans
EDITOR:
1
OSU-52, A&M-15, Cooke Cablevision-0.
Much like (he football team Saturday night, many fans were plagued with
problems during the first half. As die-hard Aggie fans, we followed Cooke’s advice
and ordered the game early in the week to avoid problems. We were told that the
Home Sports Entertainment feed would be provided in our homes on Channel
just in time for kickoff (for a mere $20).
To offset this outrageous price, we invited 30 of our closest friends toenjoythe
game with us.
However, we noticed at 6 p.m., the HSE signal on Channel 23 was scrambled.
After several minutes of busy signals, we finally got through to Cook?. After
explaining our situation, we were told that two technicians would be over to resolve!
our problem.
Indeed, at 6:25, the technicians showed up and replaced our box. With our
newly unscrambled signal, we sat sdown and prepared to watch the game. Until
our screen went blank at 6:30.
In vain, I tried to call again, but the phone at Cooke was busy. After ten
minutes I gave up and drove to Cooke’s office where I found several other angry
customers. We were finally let in after banging on the doors for several minutes,
We were told they had experienced some initial problems but that everything was I
working now. Rather than risk the possibility that we were being brushed off, 1
called my house to verify their story.
Needless to say, my friends were still staring at a blank screen. By this timeat
least 30 unhappy people had gathered in Cooke’s office with similar problems.
Finally, someone at the office took my address and tapped that sacred button
that allowed our television to receive the signal. Another call home confirmedtftat j
we were getting the game (now late in the first quarter).
As it turns out, so many problems were encountered, that Cooke finally hadto
unscramble the channel for the entire city. It hardly seems fair that we should have!
to pay for a “service” that non-paying customers also received.
For almost a year and a half, we have asked Cooke to provide HSE as a
premium channel like Home Box Office. If this had been done, this kind of
problem would not exist.
The entire situation was handled in an unprofessional and unbusiness-like
manner. Cooke Cablevision should be left to recover the cost of this venture onits
own.
Donald Thompson ’89
It’s just so ridiculous
EDITOR:
After reading Dean Sueltenfuss’ Sept. 15 article in The Battalion, I lookedat
my own fee slip and noticed that I was paying approximately $218 in the form of
the fees that he spoke of. This disturbed me quite a bit since I’m only payinglSSl
in tuition fees.
The other fees which Dean wrote of came within $6 of being as much as my
tuition. THAT’S RIDICULOUS!!
Inquiring minds want to know' — exactly what are we paying for? If possible,
I’d like to see an article in which someone reveals this information. Td especially
like this information to be truthful.
If Tm paying to feed the squirrels, Td like to know it!
Michelle L. Keller ’92
Library in need of change
EDITOR:
The other night I was studying in the library and needed to make some copies
Much to my dismay, discovered I had only a $5 bill, so off I went in search of
change. I discovered the only way to make change was to buy computer paperat
the check-out desk. I have no need for computer paper (especially at fifty cents fa
10 sheets) and I don’t believe I should have to make an unnecessary purchase to
make change for copies.
Today I asked a library administrator to explain the policy and was politely
told that “the library is not in the business of giving change.” She said that the
University’s “powers that be” didn’t want the library to possess any more cash than
was absolutely necessary. This has been the policy for the past 20 years (I guess
that makes it a tradition).
I think this policy should be changed. Maybe the student government could
lobby for a change. In the meantime, unless you want to make an unneeded
purchase or you enjoy long walks to Skagg’s for change, be prepared when
studying in the library: Bring you own change!
Ken Gleason ’89
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters Jot if
and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and must incUV
classif ication, address and telephone number of the writer.
by Berke Breathe-
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