I see the families of the astronauts say "Please keep going to space." I am so proud of that. I don't know what it is about space that is so appealing, when beautiful earth is here within our reach, but it's some kind of visible heaven for us to chase after, some kind of acceptable god for humanists to yearn after. The bottom of the sea and the top of the sky, "a man's reach should exceed his grasp or what's a heaven for."

yesterday I found out a friend of mine met robert heinlein! it was when she was in kindergarten so she doesn't remember it, but hey. I wonder where I could find out what he had to say about Challenger. I know he would have had something to say today that I would like to hear. I was thinking about "the moon is a harsh mistress." space is a harsh mistress this week. oh yes, she is a harsh mistress this week. not that space killed anyone; engineering or maintenance or whatever did. I find myself hoping that whatever went wrong was something totally mind-boggling that no one had thought of, instead of some dumb mistake. Failing as we discover new errors is kind of a hidden virtue; failing for lack of proofreading is just awful. Maybe richard feynman will come and explain everything again. His website says he is a raconteur, which I rather take a shine to. I think the world needs more scientific explainers. The sagans and asimovs and hawkings who catch the public imagination here and there do so much to raise the quality of living of our collective brain.

I am rambling. Goodnight, columbia and your keepers. If my good wishes for you can do you any good you have them.