Heinlein, Robert A – Expanded Universe

from the very old and the handicapped. It is impossible to be a fan of my fiction

and not be enthusiastic for space travel. Besides, they tell me so, explicitly, in

writing.

“Examples:

“A college professor, blind from birth. He’s never seen the the stars; he’s

never seen the Moon. The books he reads and rereads-has read to him by his

secretary-are about space travel. He went to a lot of trouble to look me up. . . to

discuss our space program.

“A teen-age boy, tied to a wheelchair, who wrote to ask me whether or not he

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could become an astronautical engineer-some ‘friend’ had told him that it was a

silly ambition for a cripple. I assured him that an engineer did not need legs even

on Earth surface, advised him in what courses to take, and referred him to a story

by Arthur C. Clarke in which a double amputee, both legs, commands a space station.

“A housewife with epilepsy, grand mal, who doesn’t expect ever to be able to

go out into space. . . but finds her greatest interest in life, her major relief

from the tedious routine she must follow, in our space program.

“Avery large number of elderly people who wrote to me immediately after the

first landing on the Moon,

all saying, in effect, that they thanked the Lord that they had been spared long

enough to see this great day.

“I could add examples endlessly. Just let me state flatly that my files hold

proof that the aged retired, the shut-ins and the disabled of all ages get more

spiritual lift out of space flight than does any other definable group of our

citizens. For many of them the television screen is their only window on the world;

something great and shining and wonderful went out of their lives when the Apollo

Moon program ended.

“Even if a space program had no other spinoff, isn’t that sort worth 5~ a

day?”

AFTERWORD

Later: No, to most citizens of the United States the entire space program

plus all its spinoffs is not worth even 5~ per day; the polls (and letters to

Congress) plainly show it. And they won’t believe that 5ç~ figure even if you do the

arithmetic right in front of their eyes. They will still think of it as “all that

money” being “wasted” on “a few rocks.”

It is easy to prove that the space program paid for itself several times

over in terms of increased gross national product. . . and in new technology. . .

and in saved lives. But they won’t believe any of that, either.

NASA has two remarkable records: first, a space program far more successful

than anyone had dared hope; and, second, the most incredibly bumbling, stupid, inept

public relations of any government agency.

A Congressman’s counsel pointed out to me that NASA and other government

agencies were by law not perm itted to advertise themselves. Oh, come off it!-it

does not matter whether a man is called a “public information aide” or a flack; a

press agent defines himself by what he does. The man who was NASA’s boss flack all

during the Moon program had the endearing manners of Dennis the Menace. He’s gone

now-but the damage he did lives on, while our space program is dying.

Still… if you aren’t willing to give up and start studying Mandarin or

possibly Japanese, you can write to your congressman and to both your senators and

tell them how you feel about it. If you do, send copies to Don Fuqua (Democrat,

Lower House) and to Barry Goldwater, Sr. (Republican, Upper House). A strong space

program has many friends in both parties and in both houses- but it is necessary to

let them know that they have friends.

FOREWORD

One would think that a “prophet” unable to score higher than 66% after 30

years have elapsed on 50-year predictions would have the humility (or the caution)

to refrain from repeating his folly. But I’ve never been very humble, and the motto

of my prime vocation has always been: “L’audace! Toujours l’audace!”

So the culprit returns to his crime. Or see PROVERBS XXVI, 11. And hang on