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MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif- The space shuttle Atlantis is ready to return home for the final time tomorrow. It will be the final landing for the space shuttle program, which NASA is retiring.
While it's the end of one era for the United States space program, other countries are hoping to start an era of their own.
Forty two years ago today the first space shuttle landed on the moon. Since then, several countries sent astronauts to outer space. Something Mexico is now considering.
"I think it's a great thing, it's a great opportunity. We'd like to open up space exploration to the entire world population," said Allen Pointdexter. He was an astronaut for 13 years and now works at the Naval Postgraduate School. He thinks a Mexican space program could be a big boost to the country.
"Human space flight has always inspired young kids. It certainly inspires today's school children to learn more and study science, technology, engineering and math," said Pointdexter.
Andy Newton is the director of sciences at Hartnell. In the past 5 years, 5 hispanic students from the school have received NASA scholarships. Newton thinks space travel could be the future for Mexico.
"If you have a new young workforce and new generation of scientists and engineers, then research will drive industry behind it and hopefully there will be more high tech industry coming out of Mexico," said Newton.
Legislators have set aside over 700 thousand dollars for the Mexican space agency in next year's budget but the program hasn't officially been established.
