Statement by NASA Administrator Dan Goldin on the Passing of

From: NASANews@hq.nasa.gov (by way of Jan Wee <jwee@mail.arc.nasa.gov>)
Subject: Statement by NASA Administrator Dan Goldin on the Passing of
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 1996 12:03:37 -0600

Brian Welch                             December 20, 1996
Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone:  202/358-1600)
Sender: owner-press-release
Precedence: bulk

RELEASE:  96-266


STATEMENT BY NASA ADMINISTRATOR DAN GOLDIN
ON THE PASSING OF ASTRONOMER CARL SAGAN

     "All of us at NASA are saddened by the passing of Carl 
Sagan.  For more than three decades, Dr. Sagan was an 
eloquent, passionate voice for the sciences that he so ably 
advanced.  

     As much as any scientific figure of our time, Carl 
described for an entire generation -- the generation of the 
Space Age -- the true wonders of the Universe around us.  His 
unbelievable ability to explain the complexities of space and 
space exploration inspired people to look up into the night 
sky in wonder.  Through such efforts as the television series 
'Cosmos' and his recent book, 'Pale Blue Dot,' Carl reached -
- and touched --millions around the world.

     He was a pioneer of the idea that life could exist on 
Mars, years before NASA was able to uncover evidence of 
potential early life on the Red Planet, and he was an 
important voice in our Mars science programs for many years.  
He was an early champion of the idea that the two leading 
spacefaring powers, America and Russia, should work together 
in the exploration of space.

     He also was at the forefront of constructing humanity's 
first messages to the stars, which even now are hurtling out 
of our Solar System aboard the Pioneer and Voyager 
spacecraft.  Carl himself likened the effort to the launching 
of a message in a bottle on the interstellar ocean.  We will 
remember his vision, his eloquence, and his intellect, and we 
will miss him."

                           -end-