Despite all the official infighting and unofficial second-guessing, the International Space Station under construction in low earth orbit has a single purpose. It is a vehicle for learning how to build assemblies in space. The technologies of joining modules, complete with electrical power, communications and plumbing are just the beginning. Solar arrays and thermal radiators have to be supported on trusses fabricated in space. The actual connections have to be made, tested and repaired, when necessary, by human technicians using tools, including robotic devices. These require development. Ways of controlling vibrations in large, flexible structures need to be tested. There is simply no substitute for being there and doing the job. As it reaches the status of an earth-orbiting construction shack, the space station will make possible larger and more capable space vehicles by allowing their assembly in orbit. If these ideas seem strange to you, it may be that you should check out a few web sites on your own. (Try the NASA KSC station site and this on space construction.)
It is an article of faith in the U.S. that the purpose of government is to do for the people only those things which the people cannot do for themselves. The most critically needed service in any village, city, county or state government is planning for the next fifty years. Government leaders must be prepared to answer questions like these: What will the financial base of our community be like in the future? How do we position ourselves to take advantage of emerging trends? How do we attract and keep good jobs and skilled employees. How do we keep our children interested in education? How do we achieve affordable health care? How do we secure our community against crime? How do we maintain our infrastructure - roads, water and sewer systems, communications and power grids?
To suggest a few specific angles, beginning with education because it is most important, consider Mars Pathfinder. As demonstrated by public reaction to the Pathfinder spacecraft and its intrepid little Sojourner rover, nothing excites the imagination of students of all ages like a trip to Mars, even a vicarious one. Space exploration, especially crewed space exploration, has an astonishing effect on the learning ability of kids. When asked to work out problems expressed in terms of extraterrestrial high adventure, the average become superior, the superior brilliant. If your school is not following the progress of the international space station and drawing lessons from it, why not?
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