I am sure that most of you know that space pioneer Konrad Dannenberg has passed away. Here are a few thoughts about Konrad and a link that I would like to share.

I will never forget he wonderful thoughts that Konrad shared with so many of us who met him over the years. He was one of those uncommon people who was conscious of the ambivalent nature of his fellow passengers who shared his ride on spaceship Earth. Konrad was fully aware that the human domain cannot be limited to the bottom of this gravity well where the days are too short and scarcity creates the pre-conditions for tyranny. Konrad's journey, our journey, will never really end.

Even though he was consumed by the passion of a great explorer, he patiently appreciated and understood the qualms and timidity of those who were less bold than he was. Konrad shared his feelings about that frustrating percentage of the population that refuses to recognize the value of space exploration. At dinner one night in Huntsville, Konrad told me that some people naturally see and accept the value of space while it is seemingly impossible for some others to see it, no matter how well you present the argument to them. He compared that situation to the dinner music that was then playing in the background. He hated it, yet most people around us seemed to be either enjoying it or ignoring it. You can't force people to love a musical composition and you can't force people to see the same destiny that you see. Some things are either there inside of us- or they are not. The spirit of the explorer is one of those kind of things.

See:

http://usatoday.com/tech/graphics/rocketeers/flash.htm

Jim McDade