Page 169 - MY STORY

healthcare, mechanical or electrical breakdown, and in

ways probably not imagined. Just one of the risks that
was fixed, immutable, and to be managed as well as
possible.

SO WHAT HAPPENED?

Here’s what didn’t happen – our plan to go to Mars in
1981. It seems that after a few flights to the moon and
back, the nation along with Congress and the president

began to yawn a little, and figured that we had done what
was promised by beating the Soviet Union to the moon.

Ultimately it was decided to limit the Apollo mission at
number 17 (6 flights including the near-fatal Apollo 13).
Attention got focused on the International Space Station

(ISS) following the successful Skylab and Soyuz
programs, along with the truck (Space Shuttle) required
to build and supply it in space. Congress decided it could

not possibly pay for it all, and terminated the planned
Mars mission indefinitely. Us technical types were ready
to roll, but the plethora of funds made available to win the

moon race with Apollo, were simply not going to be
made available for Mars. It’s back in the planning stage
again, but I will not be around to see it happen – if it

happens. It seems that the incredible advances made with