NASA

NASA claims its mission is to explore space but it isn't being honest with itself. What NASA does is explore things in space, moons, planets, suns and whatever else is flying around out there. Space is just the in-between stuff from here to there.

I propose NASA live up to its claim of space exploration and launch the first manned mission to space. They get a crew together, stock the space craft with a lifetime supply of Tang and crossword puzzles, pick a nice empty spot in space and LIFT OFF! Just like Star Trek, boldly going where no man has gone before.

It would be the ride of a life time, in fact it would take a lifetime because there would be no returning, one way only. How bold would it be if they turned around half way and returned to earth? What is the point of that? This exploration is to find out what's out there. No one knows what having human consciousness that far away from earth would be like.

Picking a crew wouldn't be as difficult as you first might think. There would have to be a certain religious element. Maybe some cloistered monks wanting a change of scenery. It might be kind of lonely if you're the last surveying member of the crew but you'd accept that possibility going in. Or how about some Scientologists, wasn't L. Ron a science fiction writer, seems like a perfect fit. They could let John Travolta steer.

So how about it NASA; when are you going to stop being souvenir hunters and start exploring.