Gordon von Braun?

Incoming PM Gordon Brown has pledged a shake-up of science, with the aim of improving education.
This is potentially a very good thing. The world we live in is an increasingly technological one. Having more graduates in technological fields can only be a good thing if we are to stimulate British innovation in technological advancement. This nation was once great. We held an exhibition to demonstrate what our inventors and engineers were capable of. So great was this exhibition, it was called the Great Exhibition.
I have long been of the opinion that by increasing the profile of our nation's scientific endeavours, we can encourage our children to pick up the baton, and spur us onto greater achievements. I speak from personal experience. As a child, I was fascinated by space exploration, devouring whole books on the subject. I longed to be an astronaut. To go boldly where no man had gone before.
Why then, you ask, am I not studying engineering, or science? Because I got disillusioned. I can't be an astronaut. UK Government policy is opposed to manned spaceflight. My interest in spaceflight, and science in general, waned almost to the point of death, only resurrected by the tragedy of STS-107.
This is policy of neglecting manned spaceflight, is, in my opinion, foolish, a view shared by eminent scientists such as the Royal Astronomical Society. Could this policy change proposed by Mr Brown signal a reversal? Could we see British Astronauts visiting the International Space Station in the future?
I certainly hope so. Not only would such an event boost national pride, it would also spur children to reach for the skies and pursue careers in science and engineering. It may even lead people to ask "why stop here?". NASA plans to return to the Moon by 2020. China, Russia, Japan, even India have similar ambitions. Should we allow our nation to fall behind, while others venture to the new world? We need a new generation of explorers, like Cabot and Cook. Like Drake and Darwin. Brave individuals who will expand the sphere of human knowledge and experience, and who will allow this country to thrive and expand into new dominions.

It is too late for me to be an Astronaut. But maybe the youth of today could be inspired to such a career, if only Mr Brown were to provide the inspiration.