I find his writing full of technical holes. The hippies won quote blatantly ignores the leaps in science and technology since then. It ignores all the space based computer, video and arcade games. For all the slams on Star Trek it has had quite a good long run and everything gets old eventually. Look at the top movies of all time.

2 Star Wars (1977) $460,935,655 10
3 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) $434,949,459 226
4 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) $431,065,444
13 Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) $310,675,583 -
14 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $309,064,373
15 Independence Day (1996) $306,200,000 -
17 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $290,158,751
27 Men in Black (1997)
37 Signs (2002) $227,965,690
51 Armageddon (1998) $201,600,000
56 Men in Black II (2002) $190,418,803
80 Apollo 13 (1995) $172,100,000

The idea that space no longer holds fascination for the public is preposterous and is falsely promoted by mentioning a series that is not even in the drawing ballpark of a true life space yarn. The hard cash shelled out for other space related movies and polls say differently. McKnight like many lawyers is good at spinning his vision without looking at the contra-indications. I seldom agree with anything he says and judging from his brief period as executive director of the Mars society feel he has little grasp on how to get anything done in the real world.

NASA has had the funding it needed to go beyond LEO in 30 years. It is not a failure of public support or cash. It is a failure of vision on the part of those that determine how NASA's funding is spent. Part of that lack of focus comes from a space advocacy community that is splintered and can't provide a clear unified direction. McKnight is as guilty of pointing the finger in the wrong direction as the author he criticizes.

Regards,
Mark