Why The Moon And Mars

In a short but wide-ranging interview in the St. Petersburg Times, NASA Administrator Michael Griffith discusses how plans for a lunar base are analogous to research stations in the Anartic; why we should expand beyond the Space Station; the impact of the elections on the Vision for Space Exploration; and why space is important.

In the 20th century ... I think a reading of history will say that it turns out that mastery of the aeronautical sciences was essential to be a superpower, to be what America became. And the United States first and best mastered the art of projecting power and influence and commerce through the air ...

In the 21st century and beyond it's going to be space. So the question for ourselves as a society is, do we, in the affairs of humans ... do we want to be leaders or do we want to be followers? The frontier will be in space and that's not our choice. That is where it will be ...