[meteorite-list] A Gleaming Rocket under the Moonlight

From: MexicoDoug_at_aol.com <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Oct 4 11:49:31 2004
Message-ID: <5CDF3FEE.5FAD7640.0BFED528_at_aol.com>

Hola List,

I just read that the $10 million X-Prize, an hour ago, unofficially so far, has been won by SpaceShipOne.

How strange I felt, on one hand so elated that this "craftily manufactured" challenge was now realized. But with the announcement of UK's Virgin Galactic Spaceways to be offering routine flights into space by early 2007, somehow, where I should be breaking out the champagne, I was really sad, too.

The first thought on my mind when I read the news was of Dave and Chuck, my childhood heros, laboring with spare parts from the shop and junkyard to build their rocket with Mr. Bass's special propulsion system.

It was of hiding out on a little cove and looking at the reflection of an eerie Moonlight and vivid shooting stars over Monterey Bay after clandestinely moving the aparatus from home in town on the ridge above, in Pacific Grove. Then it was ignition and a wondrous spaceflight to the Mushroom Planet by the seat of my pants to save the world with Mrs. Pennyfeather, the hen's, sulphur containing eggs.

Progress, *sigh*. The best I can do now to hold on to nostalgia, is remember that Allen or Branson weren't the first, Dave and Chuck have them beat by 60 years, and I was along for the ride. No doubt Mr. Bass is watching the Mojave through his telescope carefully now, wherever he may be, worried how to cloak the Mushroom Planet from big kids and grownups who may start showing up and turn the peaceful world into a theme park (or trick its innocent inhabitants into trading Mushroom-meteorites for a few rotten eggs).

Dave and Chuck will live on, as will the Spaceship built in my garage which still gleams in the starlight on tose special clear nights. I don't know exactly how, I know I'm not too old to know how, but they will...
Saludos, Doug
Received on Mon 04 Oct 2004 11:49:20 AM PDT