It hurts to reread this column posted a year ago. The buoyancy of the last New Year caught me prognosticating great advances planned for the international space station, construction which did not happen, brought to a screeching halt by that indelible fiery track across the clear crisp Texan sky. The Columbia accident delivered a stunning blow to our already fragile grip on space, and all prayers are with NASA and the reduced crew aboard ISS. Their work proceeds at a subdued rate until the shuttle fleet returns to resume activity.
The centennial celebration of human flight was bittersweet, containing tragedy yet also triumph. The Chinese leapt into the spirit of exploration with the safe return of Shenzhou and its pilot. (It's nice to think next year's column might herald their return to spaceflight, this time with a multi-member crew.) The Russian space machine continues to impress the world with steady dependable performance. I don't pay them sufficient credit enough so hats off to all those who make that achievement possible.
Far off in the heavens the Voyagers maintain their extrasolar course; somewhat closer it seems the planets draw so thick we must wave them off like flies! Tomorrow Saturn arrives to its closest position in thirty years, bringing a little celestial wisdom to celebrate the New Year. And this past summer Mars came over to visit its nearest neighbor - us - the closest it's been in 60000 years. This is just in time to swallow yet another space probe, the European surface explorer Beagle 2. Good grief.
Likewise Star Trek also experienced a year of diamond and stone. Season Three enjoyed a noticeable quality boost, coincidentally improved by Xindi arc or not. Despite a lot of earlier derision, several must-see episodes established "Enterprise" with the potential for extended success. The cast and crew delivered consistently top-notch work (are they Russian?). And yet this year also brought dismal news of a repeated sort fans have seldom encountered, compounded by a ratings plunge and unexpected crash of "Nemesis."
The franchise shows increasing signs of frailty and age, and that a demise is even considered at all indicates the depth of the problem. Can anything be done to bring the series up from the doldrums? (Guess the video game lawsuit didn't work.) So many contributing factors could etch away the vitality of even the strongest series. Should anything be done? It's not making predictions that matters, it's what's accomplished - true of television and actual spaceflight. May this coming year bring success to both efforts.