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Bradbury: Missions To Moon And Mars Will Inspire Humanity
Science Fiction Grandmaster Ray Bradbury spoke before a presidential commission reviewing American space policy - specifically, missions to Mars.
Bradbury was asked how spending billions on space exploration could be justified to the American public. Panel members noted that some people complain that there are more pressing problems on earth. Bradbury's response:
"If you sell it on the basis of a new freedom, a new movement away from the politics and horror and terror on Earth, I think people will recognize how (important) that is."Bradbury compared the effort required to explore nearby planets to the effort expended to explore the New World 500 years ago, remarking that Spain and England had the same challenges and budget concerns that we do today.
"All sorts of problems hadn't been solved," Bradbury said. "If they had stayed there, there wouldn't have been an America." Panel members also asked about what would happen to public support if astronauts were killed on these missions. Bradbury's response was that thousands of people died exploring North America.
"You simply do not give up," he said.
Take a look at technovelgy items from two of Ray Bradbury's books, Fahrenheit 451 and The Illustrated Man.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 4/18/2004)
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