By Matt Goeckel – Staters Union Ad astra per aspera. ‘To the stars through difficulty.’ The Kansas motto took a new meaning this week when Schmitt City in Pershing County began looking into a possible space program. This is a feat in which has never been accomplished in recent Kansas Boys State history. They planned to use the space program for solar power and resources. Revenue would be divided between the city, county and state with the majority of the money going to the state. The program would cost $527,255. Department of the Economy worker Hugh McPherson discussed the grant proposal. “They did ask us for a grant in the hundreds of thousands of dollars” he said. The department declined the grant proposal due to Pershing County’s poor economic standing. “There’s so many things they need to improve on before they can have a successful space program,” Governor Thill said. “You have to have a basic standard of living before you have astronauts.” However, the administration does appreciate the ambitious idea. The Governor continues to reinforce the fact that, “The forward thinking of a space program is admirable and what we desire in Kansas Boys State. However, certain necessities need to be met before we can create such lofty goals.”]]>