To the Point

The Future of Space

On Monday, NASA will attempt to intercept an ancient comet 83 million miles from earth. In a couple of weeks, it will launch its first manned shuttle to fly since the fatal reentry of the Columbia two and a half years ago. Despite its successes, NASA still struggles for the hundreds of millions of dollars needed for each mission and face tricky foreign-policy concerns. And in space's seemingly vast infinity, there are orbits around Earth that resemble the New Jersey Turnpike at rush hour, with satellites to provide cell phones signals, allow us to study the Earth's ecology, and to observe land weapons, some of which might one day operate from millions of miles away. Guest host Diana Nyad examines our priorities in space as well as the obstacles we face with physicists, political scientists, and experts in international security from an independent think-tank and the military. Making News: Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Retires The failing health of 80 year-old Chief Justice William Rehnquist has prompted speculation as to who will be named to the court upon his retirement. So today's announcement by Sandra Day O'Connor that she will retire came as quite a surprise. The first female on the Court and a critical swing vote during her 24-year tenure, O'Connor leaves an impressive legacy, says Dahlia Lithwick who covers the court for Slate.com. Reporter's Notebook: Political, Legal Impact of Justice O'Connor's Retirement Justice Sandra Day O'Connor served 24 years on the Supreme Court, often casting the crucial swing vote on such volatile issues as abortion and the death penalty. We hear more about her legacy and the challenges facing President Bush as he searches for her replacement from Constitutional Law Professors Cass Sunstein and Nelson Lund, and from Dana Milbank, who covers politics for the Washington Post.