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During the 20th century, human beings acquired the ability to observe the earth directly from space. These observations expanded and renewed our appreciation for the beauty of our home planet. Furthermore, from earth orbit, we also began to understand better what a complex and fragile system of oceans, landscapes, and natural processes characterize our world. It is surprising that, even today, there are vast areas of the earth, which remain a mystery to us, vast areas for which we have not even simple maps. In fact, to date, although we have accurate, three-dimensional maps of Venus and Mars, we have no such comparable maps of the earth. This coming autumn, I will be aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor as it collects the data necessary to construct the most precise, three-dimensional map ever made of the earth's surface. Using two large radars simultaneously, this short, eleven-day flight will cover 80% of the earth's total land mass, home to nearly 95% of the world's population. Because the Space Shuttle will fly over most of the world's surface (from 57 degrees latitude north to 57 degrees latitude south), our mission will be able to collect data capable of creating the most complete topographic map ever produced of the earth. The knowledge subsequently gained from this Space Shuttle mission should, therefore, revolutionize our understanding of our own world, and gain for us, in remarkable detail, new insights about the planet on which we live. Already, we anticipate that information collected will enable scientists throughout the world to be better able to study the dynamic processes which affect human and other ecological life cycles, processes like flooding, earthquakes, climatic changes, soil erosion, mountain-building, volcanism, desertification, and weather activity. Consequently, in the fall of 1999, when I board the Space Shuttle, I will depart for a journey into space which will, in a very real sense, "rediscover" our world. I sincerely hope this "rediscovery" will be regarded as a gift from the 20th century to the 21st century, a gift which will help us appreciate, far more, the beauty, wonder, and complexity which, for me, will make earth MAHOROBA*1 forever. *1: A kind of paradise in Japanese mythology.
Last Updated : June.11, 1999
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