Today marks 49 years since the first man went into space–Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union.
In less than a month, Alan Shepard was the first American in space, although it took until February 20, 1962 before John Glenn matched what Yuri Gagarin had done on this day–orbit in a space capsule.
The space race was on, and it was a glorious time, promoted by Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, and leading to Americans walking on the moon between 1969 and 1972!
The space program has gone through different phases since, but the dream of man in space and exploring the moon and Mars seems a distant dream, and President Obama is moving in the direction of cutbacks on the Space Coast in Florida. 🙁
This is highly regrettable, and it is hoped that the Obama Administration will revisit the issue of space travel, and will see the virtues and benefits of pursuing further exploration in space after the space shuttle finishes its missions later this year!