I never imagined Hillary Clinton being interested in space exploration or writing to NASA as a kid to ask how she could become an astronaut. It’s all just so Geeky. Naturally, I was surprised to read that she wants to reboot America’s stalled space program.
This week on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik’s launch, Clinton addressed the Carnegie Institution for Science where she talked about her interest in space travel, saying:
“This is personal for me because when I was in junior high school, I was just captivated by the space program. It caught my imagination. . . I did my 8th grade science project on space medicine. Some of you know that I even wrote to NASA asking how I could apply to be an astronaut and got back an answer saying that they weren’t taking women . . . I have lived long enough to see that change.”
The related news release on her campaign website announces that Clinton is “committed to a space exploration program that involves robust human spaceflight to complete the Space Station and later human missions, expanded robotic spaceflight probes of our solar system leading to future human exploration.”
When I was in elementary school I also wrote to NASA asking how I could become an astronaut (yes, I owned an Astronaut Barbie). I also thought that by the time I was 30, I’d be able to live in a lunar colony. Now, here I am at 31 and I don’t even have a jetpack or a hoverbike.
Considering the economic trouble we’re facing, Hillary’s space program is probably a while away if she does get elected, but it’s such a relief to hear a candidate addressing it. It makes me hopeful that I’ll at least get that jetpack in my lifetime.
Hillary, some Geeks would like to talk to you. This would be a great time to respond to the Geek Survey.
Score
SCIENCE!: 1 Geeks: 0
Technorati Tags: hillary clinton, nasa
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Lisa Fary's earliest influences are Princess Leia, Rainbow Bright, Astronaut Barbie, and her 6th grade teacher, Ms. Palmer. She's angry that it's 2011 and she still doesn't have a hovercraft, but will accept a jetpack as consolation. That jetpack had better be pink with a rhinestone monogram. 
It’s way past the year 2000, and I was promised flying cars. Where are my flying cars?!?!?!?! Well, Hillary?
I’d settle for a hoverboard.