The results of the two short flights made space officials believe the Mercury program was ready for its first orbital flight.

VOA: special.2009.06.17

Now,the United States was ready for the next historic jump into space.

VOA: special.2009.07.01

Add a few modern gizmos to the mix--one savvy shopper has even posted a list of Jetsons-friendly gadgets available through Amazon.com--and you're practically ready for the next space age.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Orion has just passed its preliminary design review and a test version of the Ares 1 stands ready at the Kennedy Space Centre for a demonstration flight in October.

BBC: Underfunding shackles Nasa vision

Classrooms across the country were ready for the first science class taught from space.

NPR: Challenger: Reporting a Disaster's Cold, Hard Facts