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John Glenn: A Symbol of NASA's Decline


October 29, 199

    The American space program has fallen from moon shots into malaise because NASA is no longer an organization ruled by science, but one guided by politics.

    "John Glenn's shuttle flight is a clear example of the politicization of space travel," said Johannes M. Hacker, a senior writer for the Ayn Rand Institute. "When Glenn was first chosen as an astronaut it was because he had the 'right stuff,' not because he had the 'right connections.'"

    Glenn, a retiring U.S. Senator, used his political position to lobby NASA to be included in the latest shuttle mission, ostensibly to study the effects of aging in space, but the scientific value of his involvement has little value beyond public relations.

    Glenn's involvement with the shuttle program may spark some interest in NASA, but it is the agency's swan song, because of its emphasis on politics not exploration, according to Hacker.

    "As long as NASA remains a government entity, it will continue to deteriorate," said Hacker. "The only hope for space exploration lies in private enterprise."

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