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Yuri Plus 41
Sydney - Apr 08, 2002 It's only a year since the world staged the inaugural Yuri's Night celebrations, but so much has changed on Earth, and in space. In 2001, we contemplated a world that had shed most of the tensions associated with the cold war, and watched as several nations assembled the world's first International Space Station. This year, the space station that held out so much hope for international harmony and the advancement of spaceflight is burdened with budgetary shortfalls and controversy. The world beneath its orbital track is also strained by the more sinister problems of a "war against terrorism" and a horrible situation in the Middle East. NASA is entering a phase of review and uncertainty. Space projects around the world struggle against indifference and funding problems. Is this any time for celebration? In 2002, should the world really pause to remember the 41st anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight into space? Absolutely. Some people will approach Yuri's Night as a cathartic event, reminding us of the best elements of human achievement at a time when so much of humanity's worst elements are being demonstrated. For others, it will be a time to reflect on the differences between spaceflight at its beginning, and the evolving mix of public and private projects we have today. The days of huge state-sponsored programs with almost limitless budgets are clearly a thing of the past, but the current state of affairs is arguably a necessary transition phase before we enter the next stage in spaceflight. When Yuri's Night was first celebrated in 2001, space travellers were all essentially government or industry workers, a scenario that had changed little from the flight of Yuri Gagarin himself. In the meantime, the world has launched its first "space tourist", paying for his expensive joyride through personal funds, and more are waiting to follow. The controversies surrounding the flight of the American businessman Dennis Tito and his visit to the International Space Station have also given way to a more pragmatic acceptance that private space travel is inevitable. Around the world, companies are developing plans for everything from small suborbital spacecraft to space hotels. If the normal rules of enterprise are any guide, most will never leave the ground. But some will reach the sky, helping to advance a more diverse and sustainable model for space activity. Government-sponsored research struggles for funding, but is still pushing forward on fronts such as propulsion and materials technology. The result of all this activity will be felt in the long term, even if the present seems rather bleak. How long will it take us to reach the next level of spaceflight development, which should allow spaceflight to be accomplished by almost anyone for accessible prices? It's difficult to say. The world reached the moon less than ten years after Vostok 1 carried Gagarin on his single orbit of the globe, but almost 30 years have passed without fresh human footprints in the lunar regolith. Futurologists are notorious for missing precise dates, but it seems reasonable to expect that noticeable progress in getting humans and cargo into space will appear in the next fifteen years. Small improvements will gradually accumulate, producing new vehicles and new opportunities. This may not be an ideal moment for space development or Earthly affairs, but so much remains to be celebrated from the past, the present, and the future. Yuri's Night is a reminder that spaceflight is a part of humanity's history and heritage. It will continue to influence our society in the future, and touch upon all of us. Visit the Yuri's Night Web site at www.yurisnight.net for details on events that will be taking place all over the world on April 12 this year. Join a celebration in your area, or if none are yet registered, organise one yourself! Morris Jones is a Sydney-based journalist and consultant. He was the guest speaker at the inaugural Yuri's Night Sydney event and will speak again this year. He can be reached at morrisjonesNOSPAMhotmail.com. Replace NOSPAM with @ to send email. Related Links Yuri�s Night Web Site SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express 
SPACE HISTORY
Our First Eyes Beyond Earth
Moscow (AFP) April 12, 2001Forty years on, Yuri Gagarin's leap into space remains a feat of breathtaking significance, marking the moment when for the first time man cast off the shackles of gravity and set out for the stars.
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