Hi Chris,
Human spaceflight, such as the Apollo missions to the Moon and the Space Shuttle Program, were some of the things that got me interested in science and engineering careers. In some ways, I am disappointed that this program was cancelled. However, I think the decision to cancel this program was probably overdue. Many experts on human spaceflight and scientists felt that the program was ill-conceived and under-funded. The restructuring of NASA that took place several years ago to accomodate the Return to the Moon program shifted the focus of this agency and meant that some of NASA's successful science programs would not receive as much funding as anticipated. I would love to see astronauts return to the Moon and eventually travel to Mars, but only if these missions are motivated by science, not politics. Unfortunately, given the current economic situation, I do not think that the United States currently has the resources to pursue these goals alone, without the help of other nations.
Kris