Bush and Space

I keep tabs on what the astronauts are doing from time to time. I can't figure out why all the sudden interest and kudos from the president. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy about it, almost excited. My first thought is selfish. I think that I may get that flying car after all. My second thought, I'm ashamed to say, is paranoid. I've been watching too many episodes of X-Files because I want to know what they are "really" doing up there.

Discovery’s crew has already demonstrated two potential heat shield repair methods during a July 30 spacewalk. During an early morning extravehicular activity (EVA) on Aug. 3, STS-114 mission specialist is expected to perform an actual repair – removing a pair of gap-filling strips of ceramic fiber cloth jutting out from between the black heat tiles that protect Discovery’s underside from the searing heat of reentry.

Ok, sounds innocent enough. That paragraph makes it sound so routine until I got to the "perform an actual repair" part. Are these guys in trouble up there? I was really, really young when the Challenger exploded. We were watching it live in school, it was a BAD day. I'll never forget it. ...then the Discovery incident in 2003. I don't think that man-kind can handle another space tragedy like that again.
I'm such a worry wart, I hope these guys are ok.
Then after I finish with the concern, I move over to the paranoia. What are they doing up there? Installing satellites to spy on us? Am I going to have to pull out my tin foil?

During his brief call to the joint Discovery-ISS crew from the Roosevelt Room in the White House, Bush assured the astronauts of his support for their mission. First Lady Laura Bush and Florida governor Jeb Bush attended Discovery’s July 26 launch and were excited by the successful space shot, he added.
“Thanks for taking my phone call, now get back to work,” Bush told the astronauts jokingly, prompting a round of laughter on both ends.

I just realized after all these years in office that President Bush is a big jokester.

OK on to other stuff, that's as close to politics as I want to be.