Virgin Galactic Grounded, Connecting with New Mexico’s Dark Skies, Tularosa Downwinders Try Again | 9.10.21

New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)

The Line opinion panel talks through the implications of the now-infamous flashing lights in the cockpit of Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity ship during its maiden crewed voyage. The New Yorker magazine reported that the lights, which indicated the ship would deviate from its designated airspace, represented a major issue. Virgin Galactic disagreed, but the Federal Aviation Administration ordered the ship grounded while it investigates. The incident raises questions about New Mexico’s nascent space tourism industry.

The Line panelists also take up the issue of charter schools. As districts across the state suffer declining enrollment, especially during the pandemic, some are considering whether they should approve more schools that draw funding away from traditional district structures.

Although humans have added satellites, space shuttles, and airplanes to the dark vista of the sky, our species has looked up at the same night skies for millions of years. We’ve navigated by the stars, told stories about the shapes we see, and sought to learn more about what lies beyond our own planet. This episode of Our Land is inspired by Carl Sagan, who wrote in his 1985 novel, Contact, about “cosmic isolationism.” That is, just as we began learning more about the universe, we also began to cut ourselves off from it. This month, we explore what it means to connect with the night sky – and protect it for future generations.

The Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium has been trying for years to get the U.S. government to compensate families who were impacted by the Trinity nuclear test. So far, they’ve been barred from accessing federal money though the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, and the deadline to file a claim is less than a year away. Correspondent Russell Contreras speaks with Tina Cordova about the latest effort, which now has the support of a bipartisan pair of senators representing New Mexico and Idaho.

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