"America's investment in Space has profoundly shaped our nation through the latter half of the 20th century; has produced knowledge and technologies that save lives and enhance our well-being; and has created economic opportunities that have helped our nation flourish and prosper," the declaration says.

In a speech today at the National Press Club, Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, a Mission HOME board member and president of the Morehouse School of Medicine, said, "America's investment in space has provided great dividends to this nation, in terms of scientific and medical advances, economic development, national security and technology advances. We are all better off today because of the achievements we've made in space."

Sullivan said space has led to nearly 30,000 products that benefit Americans. Some examples include satellites that allow the prediction of where and when hurricanes, snowstorms and other dangerous weather systems will hit, and the Global Positioning System (GPS) network of satellites that allows commercial airlines to avoid dangerous weather conditions and is part of a dependable navigation guidance system.

"Another great example of how we benefit from space technology is the Hubble Space Telescope," said Sullivan, a former Secretary, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "The Hubble has not only showed us never-before-seen space wonders, it has led to improved tissue imagery, allowing needles rather than scalpels to be used for breast biopsies," he said. "This non-invasive technique has not only saved lives but will save America $1 billion a year in health care costs."

Sullivan spoke at the National Press Club's "Morning Newsmaker" briefing. "I don't want Americans to take for granted the benefits of space exploration," said Sullivan. "After all, for more than 40 years, America's investment in space has provided great dividends to this nation, in terms of scientific and medical advances, economic development, national security and technology advances. The fact is, we are all better off today because of the achievements we've made in space."

Mission HOME (Harvesting Opportunity for Mother Earth) is urging all Americans to "Take Up Space" through a nationwide campaign to rebuild enthusiastic support for civil, commercial and national security space programs. Apollo 13 Commander - and Mission HOME Chairman - Jim Lovell launched the campaign in 1996.

The Mission HOME declaration lists a number of priorities for making the continued exploration and use of space a national priority.

These include:

• The existence of affordable and technologically advanced launch capability support America's space goals.
• Policies that drive private investment in space products and services.
• Speed transfer of government-developed technology to the private sector and enhance the availability of commercial satellite systems.
• Promote government purchase of commercial, off-the-shelf space products.
• Increase funding for NASA and other government civil space agencies.
• Ensure a continuous and strengthened human presence in space through the 21st Century.
• Continue to explore our universe to advance scientific discoveries and improve our understanding of the planet Earth.
• Fund defense space systems that give our armed forces the greatest advantage during times of crisis or conflict.
• Sustain a leadership position in national security space by developing new and more effective technologies.
• Improve the cost efficiency and effectiveness of our national defense through investment in space-based communications, intelligence, and early-warning capabilities.

"An aggressive national commitment by government, industry and the public to the continued exploration and use of space will best serve individual citizens and our collective society," the Mission HOME declaration says. The declaration calls space "a vital bridge to a peaceful and prosperous world."

Sullivan urged all Americans to commit themselves to space explorations, saying, "As the former Secretary of Health and Human Services, responsible for implementation of the nation's health policies, and as the president of the Morehouse School of Medicine, I know first hand the great medical science advances that have been made because of space exploration. Frankly, I am concerned that if we don't allocate more money for space and show a greater support of efforts by NASA and others, we could lose the opportunity to more wondrous discoveries. It's no longer a matter of beating the Russians or anyone else; it's a matter of helping all mankind."

Mission HOME's national awareness campaign this year will visit the following cities: Austin, Texas; Jackson, Mississippi; Cleveland, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Denver, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; and Omaha, Nebraska.

Mission Home

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Space

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

SPACEDAILY

Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005
The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India.