This year’s United States presidential race has been an … interesting one, and what it means for outer space has been no exception. The candidates have varying views on the importance of space programs and at least one of them wants us to know the truth about space aliens, but an actual space man has a more concrete goal for them: Mars.
Of course, Buzz Aldrin doesn’t mean they personally should go, though there would probably be strong support for that among voters. He doesn’t even necessarily think anyone will get their during their presidency, but he doesn’t want them to lose sight of that goal as they build ridiculous walls or whatever else they’re going to spend the next four-to-eight years doing.
After all, if we want to build things on Mars, there aren’t any Martians to threaten with picking up the bill, so at the very least, the president needs to make sure space program funding, which has been under siege, doesn’t falter. At the Humans to Mars Summit on May 17 in Washington, D.C., Aldrin—who has some experience with presidents setting goals for far off space locations—urged the candidates to stick up for exploration, saying (as reported by Space.com),
“A president who appeals to our higher angels and takes us closer to the heavenly body we call Mars will not only make history—he or she will [also] be long remembered as a pioneer for mankind to reach, to comprehend and to settle Mars. I appeal to you to take up the challenge—president, candidates—and bring us all along from the wild, blue yonder with giant leaps to this waiting island in the blackness of space.”
Not quite, “Make Mars great again,” but inspiring words nonetheless. Government-run space programs aren’t the only ones aiming for the Red Planet, though. SpaceX is still preparing for their 2018 field test of Mars mission tech, and other Mars science is still happening, with fascinating views of the planet, news of ancient giant tsunamis, and possible locations to look for evidence of ancient life—not to mention the planet will be the closest to Earth it’s been in 11 years on May 30. That’s a whole lot of Mars, so let’s hope whoever wins in November is paying attention.
(image via Kevin Gill on Flickr)
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