The dream lives

Any chance that I had of ever making it into space - and they were minuscule at that - not doubt ended when the Challenger blew up 21 years ago, killing all on board, including Christa McAuliffe, who was supposed to be the first teacher in space.

At that time, NASA was actively involved in putting together a Journalist-in-Space program. Naturally, I applied.

But, that was put on hold, as was the whole Shuttle program after the Challenger disaster, and, as far as I know, has never been revived or seriously considered again.

It was a long shot, of course. The money was on Walter Cronkite, the veteran CBS newsman who had been the unofficial voice of all the major milestones in the Untied States' space program - from the first Mercury flight to the first landing on the moon. "Uncle Walter" was bound to be the one picked - whether he applied or not.

I sent off for the application packet - and its still somewhere at the house, packed away in a drawer or a box in the attic. It's not the kind of thing I would get rid of. Or, maybe by the time of the Challenger disaster, I had already sent it in. Regardless, it contained several pages of forms that I had to fill out - background about myself, my career, etc. I think there was an essay part to it, in which I had to explain why I, a small-town journalist in north Georgia, should be picked over the thousands of other applicants to be America's first Journalist-in-Space.

I don't remember what I wrote, of course, but I'm sure I talked about how only someone from small town America could truly represent the average person on the street, etc.

Then there were the letters of recommendation from community leaders and friends. As I recall I included letters from the then Mayor of Gainesville, the Hall County Commission Chairman, and my boss (who had explain why I would be a good choice and to promise that I'd still have a job when I got back on Earth). There was a letter from longtime friend and Gainesville banker, Mike Banks, and, I think, one from Dr. Hugh Mills, who was then the President of what is now Gainesville State College.

I don't feel that my dream of going into space died with the Challenger explosion because it still lives - at least in my mind.

We finally got a Teacher-in-Space, Barbara Morgan, who was McAuliffe's backup, when the Endeavour roared into space earlier this week, although she is more than just a teacher, but a full-fledged, bonefide astronaut. And, if NASA ever decides to revive the Journalist-in-Space program, I'm ready to apply again.

The dream lives.

(Ken Stanford is Newsroom Manager for radio stations WDUN NEWS TALK 550, MAJIC 1029, and SPORTS RADIO 1240 THE TICKET and for AccessNorthGa.com.)