[extropy-chat] Moon landing anniversary

[Damien Broderick]

At 10:11 PM 7/20/2004 -0400, Eliezer wrote:

>35 years ago today, on July 20th 1969, humans walked on the Moon.
>
>http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apollo11/index.html
>
>Let's hope it wasn't our all-time high point.


Source: BBC OnLine

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/world/americas/3912095.stm>http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/world/americas/3912095.stm

07-20-04

US Panel Backs Space Budget Cut

A US House of Representatives panel has voted to cut the money
given to fund space, environment and science programmes for next
year.

Some was allocated instead to boost war veterans' health care by
$2bn.

Correspondents say the cut is a stark example of budget
pressures faced by a Republican-run Congress. Democrats said
spending limits were too tight.

The move comes on the 35th anniversary of the day that Neil
Armstrong took man's first steps on the Moon.

The astronaut and his Apollo 11 crew members, Buzz Aldrin and
Michael Collins, gathered in Washington to celebrate their 1969
landing.

'Brutally fair'

The BBC's Barnie Choudhury in Washington says the allocation of
funds shows Congress' determination to provide cash at a time of
war.

"The choices have been brutally fair," said James Walsh, chief
author of the measures.

But some Democrats on the panel complained about the spending
limits Republicans have voted to impose on Congress.

"This year I think it's going to be very clear it's becoming
excruciating, if not unacceptable," said Alan Mollohan, a top
Democrat on the subcommittee.

The measures will have to be supported by a full House and the
Senate before US President George W Bush could approve it.

Just $372m was provided out of the $910m Mr Bush wanted for
initial preparations for manned missions to the Moon and Mars.

Nasa's human space flight programme has been grounded since the
shuttle Columbia disintegrated in February 2003, killing seven
astronauts.

In January, President Bush said astronauts will be back on the
Moon by 2020, and will establish a lunar base to prepare for
human exploration of Mars.