Spaceflight

One of the most important milestones in humanity's quest for the stars is about to be achieved. If Spaceship One manages to successfully fly into space, again, within the coming week, they'll win the X-Prize. This is a prize of 10 million dollars for the first successful, private, spaceship to reach space. In order to reach space, one must go higher that 62 miles straight up, a height, generally considered as the outer edge of the Earth's atmosphere.

There are those who believe that this historic occasion is a more important story than all others today. Read Glenn Reynold's opinion at Slate. I tend to agree.

At the very least, this story gives one hope, something we're severely lacking right now.

And, if someone was to tell me that I am forgetting to mention, poverty, war, famine, elections, prosecutions, debates, unemployment, and all those other things that SHOULD occupy our thoughts and prayers, I will say: You've missed the point.

An event of the magnitude of what Spaceship One is about to accomplish is why there are human beings on this planet and why the future is bright. As long as there is hope, as long as we can reach beyond ourselves and accomplish more than we are, there is a future. As long as a person will help someone in need and as along as people will try the impossible, there is hope. Then, it REALLY does matter.