While the speech is still in draft form, sources say that one take contained a Clinton bow to last summer's Mars Pathfinder mission. Clinton was to cite the mission as proof American technology would "lead the world to come" into the 21st century.

But the last-minute NASA decision to announce approval to fly former project Mercury astronaut and Ohio Democratic Senator John Glenn aboard the Space Shuttle in late October may push the little Mars robot off the Clinton agenda.

Sources say a new section is being proposed in which Clinton would single out Glenn in the audience and hail his "courage and commitment" to science research.

Some spacers in Vice President Al Gore, Jr.'s office were still hoping that the Lunar Prospector just might find that water ice at the Moon's South Pole in time for a dramatic Clinton announcement from the lectern during the annual speech.

Under these space dreams, Clinton then charges NASA chief Daniel S. Goldin with drafting a rapid plan to send U.S. astronauts back to the Moon. The only problem with this scenario is this: the data isn't yet in, and Clinton cares not a wit about manned exploration of space. But stay tuned - the story is still unfolding.