[net.space] Space Shuttle Childrens' Fund

rmarti@sun.uucp (Bob Marti) (02/12/86)

One of the highlights in the recent discussion on the Space Shuttle Childrens'
Fund has been this reaction to some slightly provoking comments from a French
guy concerning the state of Americas social budget and programs:

>   Don't blame him [the French guy], it is probably difficult to live in a
>   country that sits on the sidelines and watches while we explore space.
>   After all, they think it is pretty neat that they have a booster that can
>   put a satellite into orbit.

In yesterday's San Jose Mercury news, I stumbled across an article entitled
"U.S. proposes French rocket launch satellite".  The first paragraph reads:

    PASADENA (AP) -- The Reagan administration has proposed a $387 million
    satellite that would study ocean currents and be launched by a French
    space agency Ariane rocket instead of a space shuttle.

Apparently, some other folks seem to think that the Ariane is pretty neat, too.

--Bob Marti