We're up and running again

When the Columbia space shuttle was lost, many thought humanity was definitely giving up space human-lead missions.

It is true that it was a major setback, for both Bush, NASA, and space exploration. Nobody could tell if NASA was going to send anything back into space, with a man inside. It is to be thanked, so, the determination President Bush has shown to get NASA working again. Nothing has happened yet, but Columbia could be a way to gain confidence again into the American space agency.

If the goals are factible, in 2020, that is 60 years after the first mission, men will return to the Moon. Eventually, only enventually then, we will think of going to Mars.

With the current technology, basically unevolved since the days of Nuclear Power (only in the computer application, which is of course considerable), it would be a rather hard mission.

Let's remind here that a project is being develloped: the ITER reactor could be operative, up and running by the "revival" of the Moon's landing. Such a reactor, working with Fusion, instead of Fission, is what we are seeking, not only to give power worldwide, but also to go to the moon. If we succeed on this, the old scientific dream of "Cold Fusion" will be a reality, and travelling through the galaxy a challenging new horizon ahead.

Miguel Vinuesa