RIESTER

Discovery Pilot Kevin Ford photographed on September 7, 2009 in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station while space shuttle Discovery remains docked with the station.

At 5:53 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time this past Friday, space shuttle Discovery returned to Earth. This was Discovery’s 37th mission to space.

The space shuttle serves as a symbol of human achievement, achievement that is made possible through a combination of science and the ability to dream. The space age began in earnest in the 1960s. The ability of our species to travel beyond our home planet came after millennia of the development and advancement of human knowledge. The generation that first took us beyond the boundaries of Earth would not have succeeded without the breakthroughs of the many generations that preceded them.

The American space program is close to my heart and it serves as an example of why RIESTER works so hard for causes like promoting education. Americans are leaders in space exploration because we are leaders in learning and exploring—vital components of a good education.

As we welcome Discovery home let’s rededicate ourselves to the cause of American education. We owe it to the future of the human species to pass on an education system that is second to none.

Who knows what dreams our children will dream, or where they will go?

Discovery crew members pause in front of the Airstream Astrovan that took them to Launch Pad 39A. From left are Mission Specialists Danny Olivas, Nicole Stott, Christer Fuglesang, Jose Hernandez, Patrick Forrester, Pilot Kevin Ford and Commander Rick Sturckow.

How else does the space program help us? For a partial answer read this report which NASA released last week on the scientific research accomplishments of the International Space Station during its first eight years. These accomplishments include advances in fighting food poisoning, discovering new ways to deliver medicine to combat cancer cells, and identifying better materials for future space exploration.

I hope you are as inspired as I am by the crew of space shuttle Discovery upon the successful completion of their mission. Visit the mission’s summary page on the NASA Web site for more information.

RIESTER is passionate about education because a good education creates the possibility of accomplishment. 

Photos from NASA.

America’s space shuttle photographed on August 30, 2009. The shuttle is the result of the aspirations of Americans in the 1960s and 1970s. Our generation has kept alive the dreams of the past generation. What are our dreams for the next generation? This photo was made by the Expedition 20 crew on board the International Space Station as the two spacecraft drew near to each other on Discovery’s third flight day. This view shows almost the entire top portion of Discovery, including Leonardo, the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, in the cargo bay.