Shooting for Mars, Veering Off Course

Re “Expected Bush Space Plan Sparks Debate Over Manned Missions,” Jan. 10:

I found the comments by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) alarming. All of the “other” things that NASA does, like research into global warming, should be dumped in favor of a manned Mars mission? Sounds like a way to shovel tax dollars to the aerospace industry and gut environmental research at the same time, a win-win in his view.

Hari Nair

Pasadena

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I agree with President Bush that America should continue to be a leader, but rather than spend the money on a folly to Mars, how about investing in cancer research?

I will never get to Mars, but I already have cancer and am not sure I’ll make it to my 35th birthday.

Marc S. Fremed

Winnetka

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Regarding Bush’s proposal for the U.S. to send a man to Mars: I am picturing our president in his aviator flight suit on the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, and I have an idea.

John A. Strain

Redondo Beach