Originally published September 14, 2014 at 8:04 PM | Page modified September 15, 2014 at 12:04 AM

Sometimes the news makes me want to get off the planet for a while, to go where, well, where each day is about new frontiers rather than old problems. I cant afford a lift on one of Virgin Galactics space-tourism flights, but I can hook my imagination to real space exploration, like a 12th Man.

Thursday, I read about Boeing and SpaceX competing for more than $3 billion in federal funding to fly astronauts into orbit. Other companies are trying to build space taxis too, but one or both of those two are expected to be chosen when NASA announces its preference this month.

We could feed, house and educate quite a few people with that money, but spending on space isnt why we dont do more of those things. Sometimes we fail to do more because we dont believe in solutions (the government will just waste money), sometimes because we dont feel connected (theres us and them). Its every man for himself, you know.

The U.S. is a little short of unifying goals right now and maybe spaceflight could be that again for a moment, like it was during its early days, something inspiring that emphasizes possibilities. And maybe that feeling could spill over into other areas of life.

At the least, I believe reaching beyond our collective grasp has its own rewards, just as it does for individuals. When I speak with people who have some affinity for space travel, they often talk about having been inspired by the space program or by the sciences in general to reach for the stars themselves.

I thought about Suzanne Dodd, who grew up in Gig Harbor. She became an engineer and was put in charge of the Voyager 1 and 2 four years ago. At the time, she told me, Space and space exploration is one of the few topics thats inspirational.

NASA has had lots of success with robot craft, but its the ships with humans aboard that get most people on board. Astrophysicist and TV star Neil deGrasse Tyson said on one of his visits to Seattle that it is people and firsts that get attention. Tyson is to speak Monday evening at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle.

When the shuttle program ended and the government began looking to private companies for a ride into orbit, a lot of space fans were disappointed, but I dont think they should have been.

Though venturing into space is never routine, the shuttle missions were not pushing the edge toward the end. Some people had their sights on a mission to Mars or a new moon program that would establish a base there, or a visit to an asteroid. All those dreams were slowed down by budgeting decisions, but they are still alive.

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Space goals can lift down-to-earth ones