President Eisenhower created NASA in 1958 with the help of Nazi scientist Werner Braun. The Free World had to be defended by Free Space. Missiles, rockets, satellites shuttles soared into orbit with the aim of exploring the heavens. Sadly funds to NASA have been cut dramatically in the 21st Century, as the GOP and America seek corporations to lead the way to the stars.

This winter I visited at a ghostly Cape Kennedy. The Florida space center has become a tourist attraction. The Space Shuttles have been cannibalized for parts and the remaining two operational vehicles have been delivered to aerospace museums. Russia retains control of the International Space Station and the only access to this platform is from Russia. China has rocketed manned exploration into low orbit. America has turned its back on Eisenhower’s dream, although NASA claims that they are preparing a large booster rocket for colonization of the moon and a grand voyage to Mars in the near to distant future.

Without a viable space craft NASA no longer receives the respect of the world and yesterday Thailand government delayed any decision on a NASA HQ at the country’s U-Tapao air base. Opponents suspected that the operation center for weather surveillance was actually a beard for covert intelligence missions and thusly a threat to Thai sovereignty, while the PM supported the flights on the grounds of improved meteorological data to map the progress of typhoons and monsoons.

Earthbound NASA is small.

In Space it is a giant.

Its budget is nothing in comparison to the bank bailouts, then again what isn’t peanuts next to that disaster.

cartoon comes from 2bangkok.com

From Arun, June 14, 2012
The caption title reads: The U.S. requested to use U-tapao Airport.
Here it comes..! Giant bird.