Barack Obama has been a particularly ambitious chairman . When combined with hisscientific pragmatism , it ’s often led to some quite striking results . An single clause forCNNgives a especially howling instance of this – namely , he has done all he can to pave the way for humanity to go under foot on Mars as soon as possible .
“ One of my earliest memories is seat on my grandfather ’s shoulders , undulate a flag as our spaceman returned to Hawaii , ” the 44th Chief Executive compose . “ This was years before we ’d coiffe foot on the moon . ”
It ’s a typically soar slice from Obama , one that describes how America is driven by a sense of admiration , curiosity , and the demand to innovate . It ’s a patch that capsulise the most positive look of an idealistic known asAmerican exceptionalism , the belief that only in America can sure things be done .
Whether or not you agree with that saint is neither here nor there in this regard . The2017 NASA budgethas just passed a rather difficult vault in Congress , which means a crucial step rock taking humanity to Mars has almost been concretely set in place .
Other space travel organizations , from China to the European Space Agency , may want to lay claim the first footprints on the Red Planet , but the Obama presidency – along with a decent chunk of senator and representatives in Congress – is doing all it can to guarantee that an American flag is the first to arrive .
Still , that ’s not all the space scientific discipline that ’s been roil out in the last eight years , as the president is keen to point out . Obama’sCNNpiece cites the detailed mapping of Pluto , the spotting of ground - like exoplanets using US technology , and yield theprivate blank sectorroom to maturate as a few examples of the accomplishment that have taken place on his watch .
Obama hop-skip that one day , Mars will become a 2d home . Evan El - Amin / Shutterstock
“ In our first few months , my governance made the great single investing in canonical research in our story , ” Obama continues . “ I went to the Kennedy Space Center to call for reimagining and reinvigorating our space program to search more of our solar system and take care deeply into the universe than ever .
“ In the years since , we ’ve revitalized technology design at NASA , extended the spirit of the International Space Station , and serve American companies make individual - sector line by capitalize on the untapped potential of the space industry . ”
in the end , though , his focus is on Mars , point out thatby the 2030s , there will be NASA astronauts bounce around its surface . He notes that this goal will likely not succeed without both external cooperation and contributions from the private sector .
Obama wishes to see astronauts not as visitors to other worlds , but next residents – a finish that we can all surely get behind .
[ H / T : CNN ]
