SPACE COAST

Hamming it up at Kennedy Space Center

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them Jesus addressed this parable: "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."' So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.' But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of the music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"

                                                                                    Luke 15:1-3, 11-32   

A fun afternoon at Kennedy Space Center

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex was a tremendous experience for me. This facility is south of Titusville (east of HWY 1). Here, you can find a rich display of the history of America's Space Program. Several retired rocketships are displayed and if you get there early enough, you can ride a bus out to where the latest launches are being prepared. Don't miss the opportunity to take a simulated ride on the Space Shuttle.

Because I was a late comer at the gate, I was able to return the next day and spend more time at The United States Astronaut Hall Of Fame a few miles west of the Kennedy Space Center for free! This location is a part of the package and has a retired Space Shuttle out front. There, I developed a better understanding of the Apollo and Gemini missions.

    "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, can achieve"

                                 John Paul Getty 

Historical remnants of America's Space program on display at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Lot's of artifacts that have traveled in outer space on display here.

Many new technologies and products have been invented and developed thanks to the space program. A few that are forerunners in my mind is window tinting and the telecommunications industries. Certainly, the U.S. Defense Department has been able to work with more accuracy due to satellite imagery and today, our weather forecasts better than ever!

To my understanding, for every dollar spent on the Space Program, $4-$7 has been generated and put back into the economy thru new technologies and products.
 

Retired Space Shuttle on Florida's Space Coast

President John F. Kennedy's vision for space exploration has been instrumental in establishing Florida's Space Coast.

The Kennedy Space Center is strategically placed between two large bodies of water on Florida's intracoastal waterway. To the east of this lies the Atlantic Ocean and to the west, the Indian River. These large bodies of water provide a nice buffer for rocketships to descend into if they fail to reach outerspace on schedule. 

How will NASA lead our future?

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be be lighted"

                                          PLUTARCH

This facility is a few miles west of the Visitor Complex.

There are many issues regarding the Space Program that raises my concerns. First and foremost is concern for the environment. Every time there is a launch, millions of pounds of fuel is burned and the vibrations and sound effect the region for miles in every direction. Many astronauts have lost their lives on the job including the Challenger and Columbia tragedies. Are the risks worth the rewards? I think it's a very personal issue. There is certainly a lot to learn about America's Space Program. Education is essential to make sound choices about where we want to go with this in our future, discover.nasa.gov is a good place to start.