• One of the long-running challenges faced by proponents of space exploration has been finding compelling reasons to sell such efforts—particularly big-ticket government programs—to the general public. This is a challenge because in the United States there are few coherent attitudes about space. The prevailing attitude might best be classified as apathy. Jeff Foust of The Space Review talks a bit about a recent forum held on Capitol Hill: What’s the value of space? This is one of those questions that literally boggles the mind. For those of us who view space the way others might view… well… God, it’s hard to even frame a response. So what is the value of space? I’d love to hear how all of you would answer that question. If you’re not too shy or apathetic why not answer in comments?

Further space linkage for today:

• NASA offers Planet Quest, the search for another earth (flash presentation)  which rounds up information on 8 separate up-coming missions. Here is the homepage.

• NASA’s Constellation Program is “getting to work on the new spacecraft that will return humans to the moon and blaze a trail to Mars and beyond.” Here is a nifty flash presentation.

• After a decade’s work, physicists are flying an antimatter observatory. PAMELA.

• They all see it. It comes and goes. Could it be that it’s alive? From clues to hypotheses, the forensic investigation of the dark dune spots of Mars. Via.

• Lastly, a nice alphabetical way to browse the major space artifacts on display in the National Air and Space Museum.