I just had the pleasure of watching Discovery make her last ascent into space. As always, it was a sight that brought me to tears. There is nothing in this world that I find as inspiring as watching a manned space launch. The mix of excitement for the crew and their mission, the absolute enormity of the task of getting something that complex into orbit, sharing in the joy of the crew, and the fear of something going wrong. For me, this is motivation, this is inspiration, and this is the highest calling of mankind. I may never fly in space, but every time I get in the cockpit of a plane, I get as close as I can.
In conclusion, congratulations to everyone at NASA and onboard Discovery on a successful launch. I think everyone will join me in saying, “Godspeed, Discovery!”