Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Inspiring dreams for a new generation..or..Does this tour van have flight capability?

By S. Derrickson Moore
dmoore@lcsun-news.com
LAS CRUCES— I was okay — and still righteously blasé — until we got out on the Spaceport America runway.
I looked out at the portentous gray strip stretching enticingly in front of us, and up at the wild blue yonder my aircraft engineer, U.S. Army Air Corps pilot daddy used to sing about.
“Does this vehicle have flight capability?” I hopefully asked our leader, Mark Bleth, as he piloted our Follow the Sun Tours van down the evocative, sparkling-new 10,000-foot Spaceport runway.
He laughed and assumed full-tilt launch position and for a magical moment, I thought I’d convinced him to give it a go.
Unfortunately, a pair of buzz-kill Spaceport security guys intervened to tell us tour busses are no longer allowed on the runway, so that’s not a transcendent experience you’ll be able to share if you take the Spaceport tour.
But there’s still a lot to make it worthwhile for you, your kids and grandkids. And I was a hard sell, mind you. About a decade ago, when I got vaguely seasick and claustrophobic just watching an IMAX simulated spaceflight at Tombaugh Planetarium, I realized I’m not particularly eager to head for space myself. I’ll wait for my next lifetime, thanks anyway, when they’ve gotten the bugs out, the price down and some creature comforts built into our space cruises.
Frankly, I can’t think of any conditions in which I could not find better use for $200,000 than a two-hour space jaunt. And though in the end I caved and voted for it, I had serious reservations about allocating county tax dollars to Spaceport in a time of so many earthly needs.
And yet ...
I had a moment of temptation when Bleth talked about the development of sister spaceports in places like Dubai and Switzerland, and the possibility that we might soon make an up-and-down flight that would take us from Spaceport America to, say, Spaceport New Zealand, in two hours, about the time of a round-trip from Las Cruces to the El Paso Airport.
And there on that now-forbidden runway, surrounded by Jetson-ish architecture, I flash-backed to childhood memories.
Sputnik. Telstar (the hit instrumental song inspired by satellite sounds). Worrying with my childhood buddies about the monkeys and dogs drafted for first astronaut duties. Wehner von Braun guest starring on the Mickey Mouse Club, prompting neighborhood kids to try their own rocket launches.
Space race. The phrase inspired the Greatest Generation to build big schools and labs and beef up science programs for us Baby Boomers.
There was all the hype about the space program-related technological discoveries that would enhance our daily lives. Standouts included a pen that would write at any angle, if I remember right, and the iconic Tang, that too-sweet orange juice substitute with an icky, chalky texture and a vile aftertaste. But we all clamored for it, because it was what the astronauts drank in space.
It was all pretty darn exciting, even for those of us who knew early on that our futures were linked to the liberal arts rather than the rapidly evolving sciences.
Space fired our imaginations. We made paper cartons into space capsules and rockets and explored the universe in our own backyards. We flocked to sci-fi movies. Some of us wrote our own sci-fi stories and poems and music and even went on to create works like “ET,” “Close Encounters,” “Star Wars” and “Star Trek.”
And some of us, including the likes of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, were inspired to commit to science and technology in a big way, ushering in the computer age and innovations in everything from communications and transportation to medicine.
We dreamed of things that never were, and they came to be. And yes, our daily lives were transformed.
We have many problems, and they’re pressing.
And Spaceport won’t solve them. But maybe it will inspire some visionary souls to dream of new frontiers, new solutions, and a better life shared on our little blue planet.

S. Derrickson Moore can be reached at dmoore@lcsun-news.com; (575) 541-5450. To share comments, go to www.lcsun-news.com and click on Blogzone and Las Cruces Style.

198 comments:

Anonymous said...

hydrocodone online generic name hydrocodone ibuprofen - what are hydrocodone/acetaminophen 5- 500 mg

Anonymous said...

tramadol cheap cheap tramadol online no prescription - tramadol 50 mg pictures

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol can you high tramadol - buy tramadol 200mg

Anonymous said...

tramadol online take tramadol high - buy tramadol health solutions

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online with mastercard tramadol 58 93 dosage - tramadol street price

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol with mastercard buy tramadol ampules - order tramadol online cod

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online cod tramadol zofran interaction - best place buy tramadol online

Anonymous said...

cheap lorazepam ativan dosage equal xanax - pete wentz ativan overdose

Anonymous said...

klonopin online klonopin side effects yahoo answers - roche klonopin 2mg

Anonymous said...

buy ativan online ativan withdrawal dry mouth - lorazepam 1 mg purepac

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online cod overnight tramadol no rx - buy tramadol online cod

Anonymous said...

buy klonopin online no prescription klonopin blackout - klonopin rls

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol with paypal tramadol dosage 100 lb dog - order generic tramadol

Anonymous said...

buy klonopin online canada klonipin withdrawal - buy clonazepam online mastercard

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol for dogs tramadol 377 - tramadol hcl blood pressure

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol without rx tramadol 50 mg many get high - buy tramadol pay with mastercard

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol rx tramadol dosage levels - ultram online without rx

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online purchase ambien online no prescription - cheap ambien online

Anonymous said...

buy soma online low cost soma - generic brand of soma

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol overnight order tramadol us pharmacy - tramadol 50mg capsules

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol no prescription tramadol dosage mg/kg - tramadol online no rx

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online buy ambien online usa - side effects of ambien cr 6.25

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod overnight buy tramadol overnight with mastercard - tramadol 50mg t7

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online buy tramadol mexico - tramadol 50mg webmd

Anonymous said...

buy soma soma online legal - soma drug description

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol saturday delivery tramadol 50mg side effects - buy tramadol no rx

Anonymous said...

ambien no prescription lunesta vs ambien cr vs sonata - ambien cr bad side effects

Anonymous said...

where to buy tramadol online tramadol hcl 200mg side effects - cheap tramadol online

Anonymous said...

generic soma online cheap soma overnight delivery - buy soma online no prescription overnight

Anonymous said...

cheap zolpidem ambien cr $20 coupon - online ambien real

Anonymous said...

purchase tramadol best place buy tramadol - tramadol 50mg for toothache

Anonymous said...

buy klonopin online side effects from klonopin overdose - 1 mg klonopin and alcohol

Anonymous said...

ambien no prescription buy ambien online forum - side effects of ambien cr 6.25

Anonymous said...

tramadol online buy tramadol overnight delivery - tramadol hcl extended release

Anonymous said...

generic carisoprodol soma online usa - buy soma online cheap

Anonymous said...

buy klonopin online complications of klonopin overdose - there generic klonopin

Anonymous said...

buy ativan home remedies ativan withdrawal - online purchase of ativan

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol hcl no prescription - buy 200 mg tramadol online

Anonymous said...

buy generic soma soma intimates discount code - soma carisoprodol drugs

Anonymous said...

order tramadol buy tramadol cod overnight delivery - tramadol dosage by weight

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol addiction withdrawal - tramadol online sale

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod overnight cheap tramadol without prescriptions - tramadol 50 mg ratiopharm

Anonymous said...

buy viagra online in usa buy 4 viagra - buy cheap viagra online with prescription

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online ambien withdrawal wiki - half ambien pill

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol can you buy tramadol mexico - buy tramadol uk no prescription

Anonymous said...

viagra online cheap viagra online canada - cheap viagra india

Anonymous said...

order viagra internet viagra online australia paypal - generic viagra equivalent

Anonymous said...

generic ambien online ambience mall gurgaon route - ambien cr 12.5 dosage

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online without a prescription tramadol online pharmacy no prescription - get rid tramadol high

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online without prescription 8 ambien - ambien withdrawal addiction

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol 180 ultram er online - tramadol hcl 50mg for dogs

Anonymous said...

generic ambien ambien drug test - ambien cr 12.5

Anonymous said...

generic viagra 50mg generic viagra jelly - buy original viagra online

Anonymous said...

klonopin 2mg klonopin pregnancy - klonopin wafers water soluble

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online ambien sales 2008 - ambien drug class

Anonymous said...

where to order viagra where can i buy viagra online safely - viagra dosage risks

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol no prescription can i order tramadol online legally - buy tramadol online cod overnight

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol hcl paracetamol tablets - tramadol 50 mg effectiveness

Anonymous said...

buy sildenafil online natural viagra for women uk - order generic viagra forum

Anonymous said...

buy viagra online buy viagra online yahoo - viagra higher dosage

Anonymous said...

cialis online once daily cialis - cialis online canada

Anonymous said...

buy viagra online no rx viagra 50mg online - does viagra work with premature ejaculation

Anonymous said...

tramadol buy tramadol 100mg forum - buy tramadol with cod delivery

Anonymous said...

cialis professional cialis online singapore - cialis price amazon

Anonymous said...

sildenafil citrate buy viagra online from canadian pharmacy - generic viagra best online pharmacy

Anonymous said...

order viagra viagra jello shots - generic viagra in stores

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online mastercard tramadol no prescription needed - tramadol 37.5 325 dosage

Anonymous said...

carisoprodol without prescription soma drug info - soma bras chicos

Anonymous said...

viagra sale viagra dosage age - viagra online shopping australia

Anonymous said...

sildenafil tablets best way to buy viagra in uk - generic viagra generic priligy

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra pills generic viagra release date - is generic viagra effective and safe

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol withdrawal restless arms - tramadol ultram over counter

Anonymous said...

soma pills soma yoga definition - buy soma cheap no prescription

Anonymous said...

order viagra without rx online generic viagra otc - viagra joint pain

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online cheap tramadol sale - can you buy tramadol usa

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol ultram tramadol for dogs sleepy - tramadol withdrawal home remedies

Anonymous said...

generic propecia online cheap propecia - buy propecia online australia

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra 100mg does viagra work the first time - can you buy viagra canada

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol for dogs tramadol no prescription cheap - tramadol zofran interaction

Anonymous said...

buy propecia online propecia side effects joint pain - much generic propecia

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg side effects - tramadol withdrawal day 3

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol free shipping tramadol withdrawal alcohol - tramadol dosage 10 lb dog

Anonymous said...

buy finasteride generic propecia is it legit - propecia side effects stomach

Anonymous said...

buy viagra where can you buy real generic viagra - buy viagra pfizer online no prescription

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online with mastercard tramadol dosage dogs after surgery - cyclobenzaprine and tramadol high

Anonymous said...

buy propecia online propecia generico paypal - generic propecia sunrise

Anonymous said...

order tramadol no prescription tramadol hcl and alcohol - tramadol 100mg tabs

Anonymous said...

buy viagra sample buy original viagra online - viagra 88 keys lyrics

Anonymous said...

buy propecia online generic propecia from india - generic propecia forum

Anonymous said...

strattera atomoxetine generic alternative to strattera - strattera side effects high blood pressure

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg recommended dose - tramadol get high off

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod next day delivery buy tramadol online australia - buy tramadol with cod

Anonymous said...

tramadol online no prescription buy tramadol online with mastercard - tramadol dosage iv

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50mg tramadol 625 - tramadol 50 mg side effects

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online usual dosage tramadol dogs - buy tramadol for dogs usa

Anonymous said...

purchase tramadol tramadol for dogs safe - deal tramadol addiction

Anonymous said...

tramadol online buy tramadol online no prescription overnight - get tramadol online no prescription

Anonymous said...

buy retin-a retin a micro miracle - where to buy retin a cream in australia

Anonymous said...

tramadol no prescription tramadol dosage 80 lb dog - buy tramadol overnight no prescription

Anonymous said...

propecia online pharmacy where to buy propecia in sydney - how to buy propecia finasteride

Anonymous said...

tramadol cheap tramadol for dogs incontinence - buy tramadol online no prescription cheap

Anonymous said...

buy propecia online propecia generic does it work - propecia generic good

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod tramadol dosage rabbits - tramadol 083 kali

Anonymous said...

tramadol online online pharmacy with tramadol - tramadol 50 mg-myl

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol online for cheap - tramadol online american pharmacy

Anonymous said...

tramadol 100 tramadol hcl 50 mg tablet side effects - tramadol dosage australia

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol buy tramadol forum - tramadol hcl for headache

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol 50 mg-myl - tramadol withdrawal forum

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol saturday delivery 100mg of tramadol safe - tramadol jitters

Anonymous said...

order propecia propecia low testosterone - buy generic propecia no-prescription

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online no prescription cod buy discount tramadol - order tramadol online international

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol 50 mg vs hydrocodone - tramadol for dogs usa

Anonymous said...

generic viagra viagra ice cream - buy genuine viagra online us

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol how to buy ultram - can you buy tramadol online legally

Anonymous said...

viagra price buy viagra online genuine - buy generic viagra online paypal

Anonymous said...

order cialis online much cialis daily - order cialis online prescription

Anonymous said...

generic viagra buy viagra tesco - viagra online at

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol overdose amount mg - tramadol high bluelight

Anonymous said...

viagra no prescription viagra online generic - buy viagra online new york

Anonymous said...

generic cialis questions generic cialis - cheap cialis no prescription

Anonymous said...

viagra for sale order viagra online nz - viagra us online pharmacy

Anonymous said...

cheap generic viagra viagra online us generic - viagra online schweiz

Anonymous said...

cheapest viagra viagra online natural - buy viagra online from canadian pharmacy

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cialis black reviews - where to order cialis online safe

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription viagra for women and men - viagra online real fake

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription where to purchase viagra in us - viagra online dr thom

Anonymous said...

order cialis buy viagra cialis online - cialis 2.5

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra online viagra online rpsgb - buy viagra online without perscription

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription buy brand viagra online us - purchase generic viagra online

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cialis price costco - cialis from canada online pharmacy

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra online order cheap viagra online us - generic viagra buy online us

Anonymous said...

cheap generic viagra cheap viagra prices - viagra 100mg online us

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cialis dose - cialis daily half life

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cialis online-versand - cialis online generic pharmacy

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cialis daily message boards - cialis online to canada

Anonymous said...

buy cialis buy cialis online fast - cialis jelly

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online order tramadol online cheap - tramadol 50 overdose

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol hcl blood thinner - tramadol withdrawal from opiates

Anonymous said...

viagra online how to buy viagra online - generic viagra quality

Anonymous said...

viagra online viagra buy online us - buying generic viagra online reviews

Anonymous said...

buy soma buy soma us pharmacy - buy soma online cod fedex

Anonymous said...

buy soma online soma watson no prescription - soma show up drug screen

Anonymous said...

soma drug usan soma pills - soma 350 mg sale

Anonymous said...

cheap soma online soma muscle relaxer headaches - soma san diego 2011

Anonymous said...

buy soma online generic somatropin buy - soma san diego upcoming shows

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cialis price eu - coupon code for cialis

Anonymous said...

viagra online buy viagra online 25mg - cheap viagra 50mg

Anonymous said...

buy soma online soma dot drug test - soma muscle relaxer side effects

Anonymous said...

buy soma online soma yahoo answers - soma vs generic

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cialis online free sample - cialis online discount

Anonymous said...

buy soma online prescription drug soma used - generic soma d 31

Anonymous said...

soma online soma san diego 2010 - buy soma fedex overnight

Anonymous said...

soma online soma medication overnight - can order soma online legally

Anonymous said...

soma pain buy generic soma no prescription - soma pills sleep

Anonymous said...

buy soma online soma bras sold - soma triathlon 2011 results

Anonymous said...

buy retin a retin a micro reviews - retin a gel 20g micro

Anonymous said...

cheap soma soma san diego tumblr - aura soma costa rica

Anonymous said...

soma online soma 31 d - buy soma underwear

Anonymous said...

buy soma argento soma 01 - soma vainusau usc

Anonymous said...

generic soma buy soma online us pharmacy - cheap soma online overnight

Anonymous said...

buy cialis online cialis generic no prescription - generic cialis capsules

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol 50 mg for migraine - buy tramadol uk

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod buy tramadol cash on delivery - tramadol 50 mg canine

Anonymous said...

order retin-a online retin a micro gel usa - retin-a online kopen

Anonymous said...

cheap tramadol online tramadol overnight - tramadol hcl 650

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol 180 tramadol 50 mg oral tablet - tramadol dosage chart for dogs

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online can buy tramadol online legally - tramadol equivalent

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol buy tramadol in uk no prescription - can get high tramadol 50mg

Anonymous said...

cheap tramadol tramadol online fedex - buy tramadol online us pharmacy

Anonymous said...

order tramadol overnight tramadol ultram dosage - tramadol online pharmacy no prescription needed

Anonymous said...

order tramadol buy ultram with no prescription - buy tramadol legally online

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol next day que es tramadol 50mg - illegal to buy tramadol online

Anonymous said...

tramadol 100mg purchase ultram online - tramadol dosage for people

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online buy tramadol using mastercard - tramadol online pharmacy

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol free shipping safe order tramadol online - tramadol - withdrawal procedure

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol for dogs tramadol 250 mg - trusted online pharmacy tramadol

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online best high tramadol - tramadol for dogs loss of appetite

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol withdrawal alcohol - tramadol 821

Anonymous said...

order tramadol no prescription tramadol side effects - purchase tramadol online no prescription

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50mg tramadol 100mg usa - side effects for tramadol for dogs

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol for dogs tramadol order online tramadol 50mg - tramadol online in europe

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol hcl 50 mg recreational use - can you buy tramadol in greece

Anonymous said...

buy carisoprodol cod drug side effects carisoprodol - carisoprodol zoloft

Anonymous said...

xanax online robaxin xanax drug interactions - small round white pill xanax

Anonymous said...

tramadol online buy tramadol online overnight cod - tramadol for dogs the same as humans

Anonymous said...

generic xanax xanax side effects treatment - xanax 2mg pills

Anonymous said...

tramadol online 627 tramadol high - tramadol hcl pain

Anonymous said...

xanax online xanax nightmares - xanax and alcohol and prozac

Anonymous said...

xanax online xanax high stories - xanax 2088

Anonymous said...

cialis pharmacy cialis coupon 30-day - cialis price shoppers drug mart

Anonymous said...

buy generic klonopin klonopin weight gain or loss - klonopin .5 street value

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online overnight tramadol zolpidem interaction - tramadol hydrochloride capsules 100 mg

Anonymous said...

http://www.integrativeonc.org/adminsio/buyklonopinonline/#5508 is 2mg . of klonopin a high dose - klonopin 0.5 mg tablets

Anonymous said...

http://buytramadolonlinecool.com/#51726 buy tramadol online usa cheap - buy tramadol online europe

Anonymous said...

http://landvoicelearning.com/#63987 what is tramadol high like - tramadol online no prescription usa

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online tramadol to buy online in usa - tramadol online overnight saturday delivery

Anonymous said...

learn how to buy tramdadol tramadol hcl what does it do - tramadol hcl 50 mg addiction

Anonymous said...

carisoprodol 350 mg buy cheap carisoprodol online - carisoprodol drug facts