Elect Ron Kind for Congress - Wisconsin Third Congressional District

WXOW

- Monday, July 20, 2009

LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) -- Astronauts from Apollo 11 met with President Obama Monday, asking him to fund a trip to Mars.

Forty years ago, Neil Armstrong became an American icon with these words:

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

His moonwalk created a precedent for space exploration.

"It was a time in our nation's history," says Rep. Ron Kind, (D) 3rd District Wisc.   "We were literally reaching for the stars."

But there hasn't been a manned mission to the moon since Apollo 17 launched in 1972.

"I was at my job teaching," says Mike Coulombe.   "My wife watched it on TV."

Coulombe remembers the day, four decades ago, and he says space exploration needs to move forward.

"I think we stopped everything right then," Coulombe says.   "We should continue on proceeding with more trips to the moon and more trips, or trips to Mars that are even manned flights."

But these missions cost billions.  The shuttle alone costs $1.7 billion.  A launch costs $450 million per mission.  A shuttle comes stocked with 500,000 gallons of fuel.

Representative Kind says it may not be a top priority, but the space program is worth the investment.

"If this is a way to get young kids more interested in math and science and engineering and technology," says Rep. Kind.   "We need a viable space program to keep their imaginations alive and active."

"I think we should have a manned trip to Mars eventually," Coulombe says.

For Mike, that trip would be two giant leaps in one lifetime.