| It started in the fourth grade. My daughter launched | | | | inspired as American's took steps on the moon and |
| her first rocket. It was the beginning of a dream. In | | | | returned home. We all wanted to be astronauts. |
| the next several years, she won two national science | | | | What will inspire today's young people? The study of |
| competitions, will return to NASA's Goddard for a | | | | climate change? |
| second internship this summer and will attend Georgia | | | | In Chrissy's own words to our President: |
| Tech in the fall to study Aerospace Engineering. | | | | "I keep my laptop background set to a picture of the |
| Chrissy's dream is to work for NASA, not for a | | | | recent Endeavor launch to remind me to study hard |
| summer... but for a career. But she's watching her | | | | even when my work becomes exhausting and to |
| dream disappear as the President's proposed NASA | | | | never let anyone or any thought limit my capability |
| budget cancels the Constellation Program, the only | | | | because space is limitless. This summer I will return to |
| current replacement for the Space Shuttle, in the | | | | NASA as a second year high school intern and I will |
| very same year that the Space Shuttle will be retired. | | | | be studying Aerospace Engineering next fall at |
| This cancellation effectively ends our country's human | | | | Georgia Tech. I am an American teenage girl and |
| exploration program beyond Low Earth Orbit. It also | | | | NASA inspires me. What will inspire the post-shuttle |
| places our ability to perform human spaceflight on | | | | scrapped Ares/..so let's use Russian launch vehicles |
| the Russians as well as the shoulders of an immature | | | | generation?" |
| and unproven commercial space market. | | | | People all over the world admire NASA for its |
| Of course, Chrissy's not the only one affected. At a | | | | courage, innovation, and persistence: a representation |
| time when job creation is highest among our nation's | | | | of America itself. NASA's pioneering in human space |
| concerns, the President's proposed NASA budget | | | | exploration provides inspiration to continue to develop |
| would cut many thousands of high tech jobs across | | | | innovative concepts in health care, energy, education |
| the country. Once NASA loses these highly skilled | | | | as well as many other fields. |
| workers, their years of practical knowledge and | | | | For the sake of future generations and our country's |
| experience will leave a gaping hole in the agency's | | | | future, please send a letter to your representatives. |
| capabilities. | | | | It only takes a few minutes to email or send a letter |
| If you're like me, you watched in awe and were | | | | to your representatives and the President. |