[Russell Scott]

My only comment on this subject is a question: is the International Space Station a modern Tower of Babel? I hope President Bush understands that God hates globalism. Any attempts to continue pushing that agenda will be met with opposition from Heaven. Especially when it involves compromising American security, or using the American people's money, to curry favor (bribe) with our phony friends in the U.N., for the sake of a deceptive new world order.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"We can build another space shuttle. And there will be applicants out the door to fly on it. That is why our enemies hate us."

Rarely have words more true been written.

[goodieD]

Perhaps if we quit spending so much money on the space program and started giving some of that to our military, our servicemen and women and their families wouldn't have to apply for foodstamps and accept food donations from churches. It's a national disgrace..the space program is fluff.. a strong military is a necessity.

[Greybird]

But mourn as well our souls of coal, burned to blackness by the horrors we have seen.

Speak for yourself, sir. I wept openly this morning. And this afternoon. And this evening. The quality of those involved in this loss -- as they pursued achievement, just as those slaughtered on Nine Eleven pursued being productive -- will burn through and dissolve the cynicism.

My soul is not dead. I don't know about yours.

[Campion]

They go up in what they know well is a Rube Goldberg contraption composed of low-bidder parts and poorly-thought-out 1970s technology. The current favorite opinion is that some of the thermal tiles were damaged on launch. Big surprise, the thermal tiles that they bet their lives on for every trip are as fragile as Dresden China. And they're only one of thousands of frankly lousy compromises found in the space shuttles.

We can build another space shuttle.

Let's not throw good money after bad. It's time to get serious about a second-generation reusable vehicle that fixes some of those lousy compromises.

[vannrox]

This editorial best reflects my feelings on the matter.