Gerald Ford, the United States' 38th president, passed away yesterday at age 93. Most citizens, regardless of how they feel about his political affiliation, give him credit for mending a nation rocked by the Watergate scandal created by his predecessor. As many reflect on Ford's legacy, his support of U.S. efforts in space should not be overlooked.
As a member of the House, he was instrumental in passing legislation that developed NASA. President Ford championed the space agency's efforts, after public interest waned with the end of manned missions to the Moon.
In 1975, President Ford celebrated the successful Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, which was the first joint flight of the U.S. and Soviet space programs. He commented, "The day is not far off when space missions made possible by this first joint effort will be more or less commonplace." With continued worldwide contributions to the International Space Station and collaborations of different nations in space science, Ford lived long enough to see his prediction become reality.