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Well, I'm genuinely very sad. I've personally seen 12 launches and three recoveries in my life, but haven't seen one in the last four years; now I'll never see another one.
I'm more sad, though, to read the great majority of anti-Space Program comments at CNN. If the 800 or so comments are indicative of general public opinion, I fear we're turning into a nation incurious and indifferent. Most of the several dozen comments I read couch the vitriol in complaints centered on the weak economy, but the overall tone is one of waste in toto. There's literally no interest in space or exploring beyond our planet, and really no interest in science.
There seems to be this idea that NASA is getting billions and billions of dollars: they're not. Almost every other program you can probably think of gets more money than NASA. Education? 3%. Healthcare? 23%. Welfare? 12%. General government? 1%.
NASA? 0.58%.
And I'd take that .58% to education if you don't mind. Also if we could slice off some Mill spending for Ed as well I'd be happier. Actually take NASAs budget into getting people reinsteresred in science after the decades of bashing the field has gotten.
Yes it's sad, however quite understandable. Think, how many Americans witness shuttle or rocket launches? I never have nor likely ever will, even possible civilian ones. You are fortunate to live near basically the only "space port" in the United States. Out of site out of mind, and seriously pushed out by issues closer to home.
I'm in the process of house hunting and getting a look at how screwy the property market is right now. You think people upside down on their mortgages ever gave two hoots about exploration and scientific advancement?
Maybe once we increase the general education of the populace we can get back to space science, and stop listening to economists who hump the stock market.
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Just some thoughts, a bit rambling:
Often, I hear it said that the last great push for science education was 1955-1965, a time when American universities were essentially factories producing scientists and engineers. Since then, the numbers have reversed and schools have statistically produced less degrees in the sciences and more in services (medicine, nursing, law, and even hotel management) and the humanities. While the greater percentage of graduate degrees in the sciences have come from international students, many of these students actually go to work for the US Government and American-based companies.
The federal budget in 1960 gave 54% to defense and less than 1.5% to education, yet that span of ten years, 55-65, seems to have enjoyed the greatest general interest in science, technology and engineering, when compared to all the succeeding years.
Sure, technology has far surpassed anything from 1960, and its use is ubiquitous (in terms of rather high tech devices from GPS-aided vehicles and wrist watches, to iPads and smartphones), but interest itself seems to have generally waned--very few people you meet are curious at all to know how their computer or smartphone work, or how the GPS in their car works. Most people aren't just incurious, but when confronted, really don't care.
Are you sure the interest wasn't driven by the threat of the Ruskis dropping nukes on us from the Moon?
There has been a media and political backlash on science in general. A distrust of the guys in white coats and the grey-bearded tweed-jackets. It hasn't helped in current from talking head news shows attempt to condense science and make incorrect assumptions about terminology. The fact that many of them can't figure out the difference between Weather and Climate when it comes to climate change make me want to throw things at the TV.
As to curiosity part of it is getting adults to talk to kids about the world around them. I work in elementary ed as support staff, but I always try to take time and babble at the kids about science, technology, and even college (start them young).
The NIH I think had a grant looking for groups or people to find way to increase scientific awareness and appreciation in the public. Personally I though an interesting project would be to try and stage a quasi-renatctiment of some of the major scientific discoveries dressed up in Tweets and FaceBook blogs with all the social drama that can possibly be crammed in. People love gossip, stories, in short social drama. The 50s and 60s had a big social drama, USA vs USSR, with nuclear Armageddon as possible outcome. Talk about suspense. Where's that human drama now? Where is the spiteful tit-for-tat that so tantalizes our civilization? It doesn't exist any more. We don't need a space program because those Ruski guys we love to hate aren't hate-able anymore. The Chinese, not as existentially threatening or even particularly menacing to the average citizen's immediate life.
