PEOPLE

With Oak Ridge native Linda Godwin scheduled to launch Friday with other astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, the Southeast Missourian asked people for their thoughts about the U.S. space program and the future of space exploration.

Bud Woodham: "I'm all for the space program. I'm sure they are doing things that will help us in the future, and the emphasis should be on that. I think, though, that they spend more money than they need to when we have other problems."

Mark Souden: "What they are doing now with the program is fine with me, but I think they are spending too much money. Maybe some of it could be better spent on other programs, such as education. We've been to the moon, and I think that is far enough to explore in space."

Art Mattingly: "I would like to see the space program pursued with more vigor. I see space as the real frontier for the future of our planet. Space exploration should be a joint effort of a number of countries so that the cost is shared."

Barbara Kitchen: "I would like to see the space program be more aggressive. Perhaps the moon could be used as a space station or a base. I would like to see other countries work together with us to explore space as a new adventure."

Shelia Finley: "I think space exploration is important. The space program has given us more opportunity to know what's going on, and I think it is worth the money. Someday we may need to be able to go to another planet if the one we have now would end."

Lara Gott: "I think they should take their time with the space program, or they are going to have more accidents. I think they are sending them up too fast. America should take more pride in it. More unmanned missions should be undertaken to explore space."