The January 11 launch date for the News Horizons plutonium mission to the planet Pluto has been dropped back a week to January 17. The media has reported that NASA is having problems with the fuel tank on the Atlas rocket that would lift the probe into space. Just a small matter, you don't want the fuel tank blowing up with 24 pounds of deadly plutonium on board. Something about a possible "structural integrity problem." Oops!
The national media has begun checking in with us about the building opposition to the launch. Journalism professor Karl Grossman's op-eds, reporting on opposition to the mission, are now appearing in papers across the country. I've been hearing from people - Oregon to Florida - who have been writing letters to Congress, NASA, and their local papers expressing their outrage about the launching of nuclear power into space. NASA is losing the support of taxpayers nationwide as they push these toxic launches.
Plans are also underway in Florida for a demonstration at Cape Canveral Air Force Station on January 7.
Please do what you can to help us build pressure against the launch of New Horizons. Cancel the mission. The planets have been out there a long time and aren't going anywhere. Explore space sure, but don't risk the lives of people here on Earth. Develop alternative technologies for space exploration. No nuclear launches!
No comments:
Post a Comment