How interested in space exploration are we? There seems to be no end of new “strategic plans” designed to “save” our nation’s space program from the purgatory of mediocrity. The latest entry into the strategic planning sweepstakes comes from the Baker Institute at Rice University. Originally, I had planned to say nothing about this report, out of deference to my old friend from the Stafford Synthesis Group, George Abbey, who is listed as an author. But recently, another author (Neal Lane) has made some public statements that are so egregiously ignorant that I cannot remain silent. Briefly, th [...]
