Building the space age: Acknowledging skilled workers

Teams at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have fully integrated all five major structures of the Space Launch System rocket’s core stage for the Artemis 2 mission, which will send four astronauts around the moon in late 2024 and return them to Earth.

Chris Carberry is CEO of Explore Mars, Inc. and author of the book "Alcohol in Space." Rick Zucker is Vice President for Policy, Explore Mars, Inc. They contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Anyone who attended a space exploration conference during the last few decades would undoubtedly have hobnobbed with innumerable scientists, aerospace engineers, industry and policy leaders, and other similarly talented individuals who are the products of prestigious universities from around the world.