Peter H. Bell: “when President Kennedy challenged America to dream space travel was possible, he came to Houston, Texas, where I live.…”

“when President Kennedy challenged America to dream space travel was possible, he came to Houston, Texas, where I live. On an autumn day in 1962, he laid out the following challenge: ``We choose to go to the Moon. Not because it is easy, but because it is hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills; because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept; one we are unwilling to postpone.'' That challenge, delivered to America 40 years ago, has come to define the mission for the brave men and women of NASA, and it has also come to define the spirit of Houston. The seven astronauts of Shuttle Columbia STS-107 embodied that spirit. And in losing them, we have lost part of ourselves. The final crew of the Shuttle Columbia were all men and women of courage. They lived and died as heroes. But for many in the Houston area, the seven members of the Columbia crew were more than fallen heroes. They were our neighbors; and they were our friends, friends that you might see at the grocery store or church or at a parent-teacher conference.”