The Columbia is lost, but its spirit is not.
When NASA lost contact with Columbia on Saturday morning, the country did stop, as it should. Every member of that crew deserves our collective respect and a few moments of reflection. But none of them would want the space program to die with them, and so our space program and our country must move on.
One of the most amazing things about humanity is the way a tragedy like Saturday's will not dampen our need to explore. For some, their resolve to examine the unknown surely grew.
Since the Soviet Union and the United States engaged in their race for space, the desire to reach the stars has flourished. Even after the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission, the desire to explore remained.
In the wake of the Challenger explosion in 1986, when NASA put shuttle missions on hold, the desire to try again may have waned, but it never went away.
In the wake of the Columbia tragedy, the same will be true. In time, man will once again venture into space.
Continuing the great exploration is the only way to respect the astronauts who have been lost.
This is the only way to truly honor our fallen heroes.
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