The Case for Space

  “I believe our future depends powerfully on how well we understand this cosmos, in which we float, like a mote of dust, in the morning sky.” - Carl Sagan

  Carl Sagan is one of my personal heroes. He sparked in me, as he did in an entire generation, a deep curiosity about the cosmos. His passion was contagious, and he made the case for space more eloquently than anyone before or since. He understood, and helped the rest of us to understand, that all of our affairs here on Earth - thousands of confident religions, ideologies and economic doctrines - all shrink in significance in comparison to the grandeur of the universe that sits on our doorstep. He knew, and worked tirelessly to remind the rest of us, that it is through exploration that we are able to reach our full potential as human beings. He saw how through exploring the cosmos, we might secure a better future, a better understanding of ourselves, while adding significance and meaning to our lives.

  “The cosmos if filled beyond measure of elegant truths, of the exquisite interrelationships of the awesome machinery of nature.” - C.S.

  Out there, waiting for us, is a vastness that most of us have difficulty comprehending. Think about this, and then think about how much we have gained every time we have worked seriously to push our boundaries in the past. Merely visiting our own moon sparked the discovery of a host of new technologies; so too will pushing out into the solar system move our society forward, in new and often unexpected ways. There is just so much out there that we don't know about or understand, we can barely even begin to define the scope of our own ignorance. What this means, however, is that at virtually every turn we will discover something new to awe and inspire us.

  “How lucky we are to live in this time – the first moment of human history when we are, in fact, visiting other worlds.” - C.S.

  If I were to name the greatest legacy left to us by the previous generation, I would say it was to put a man on the moon. I don't think I would be alone in saying so either. This one event more than any other inspired the world, and defined who we are as a species - we are explorers. We may forget this sometimes, mired down as we often are in our day-to-day troubles, but we should fight to uphold this legacy. Mars, Venus, the rest of our solar system, and the worlds that lie beyond are waiting for us, but only if we maintain our momentum.

  “The surface of the Earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean – recently we've waded a little way out, and the water seems inviting.” - C.S.

  Space has its challenges, sure. Sometimes people die trying to explore it. But every job has risks, and these have to be balanced against the rewards. Space is the ultimate challenge, but the rewards – technological, social, material – are almost incalculable. Furthermore, we know more now than we ever have about how to cope with the challenges, and we can adapt. The smartphone in your pocket has more power than the early space shuttles, after all. There may be setbacks, but if we try, we will ultimately succeed, and emerge stronger on the other side.

  “The sky calls to us; if we do not destroy ourselves, we will, one day, venture to the stars.” - C.S.

  The moon was a testing ground, the first step on a path that will ultimately lead us to the stars. First, however, there is work to be done in our own cosmic neighbourhood, and it is best if we get to it. There are so many goals that are now technically within our grasp, that can give us the footholds in space needed to take even bolder steps beyond. A permanent base on the moon could provide a cheaper launching point for new spacecraft and a source of raw materials. A space elevator would drastically reduce the cost of sending materials into orbit and beyond. A Mars colony would help to ensure the survival of humanity should anything happen to Earth, as well as provide a base for future terraforming efforts. Asteroid mining could provide a huge influx of wealth into the world economy, as many are rich in precious metals and rare earths. Tackling these projects will not only unite us as a species, but enrich us immensely. In a few decades, we could become a truly planetary society – united in purpose, free of poverty, bolstered by incredible new technologies, and ready to work toward and even better future.

  “A still more glorious dawn awaits; not a sunrise, but a galaxy-rise, a morning filled with 400 billion suns.” - C.S.

  Once we have spread to the far corners of our home system, we will no doubt be ready and eager for a bigger challenge. Already we are able to look into space and see planets, some very much like the Earth, circling other stars. Already we are studying the basic principles of faster-than-light travel. It doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to see humanity spread across our corner of the galaxy in a few hundred years. Once we spread beyond this solar system, our future as a species is virtually guaranteed. Our descendants, because of our efforts, can be wiser, healthier, happier, free of disease, famine, war, and many of the problems that we take for granted today. The humans that see that future may think, act and look very different from you or I, but it is our generation that can lay the foundations for that future.

  Or, if we forget how far we've come, and lose ourselves in our petty Earthly affairs, we may see this future slip through our fingers. Trapped on our one small world, runaway global warming, an asteroid, a plague, nuclear war, or the eventual destruction of our sun will eventually erase us from history. This, ultimately, is the case for space – survive (and thrive), or go extinct. I believe that in addition to being explorers, we are also survivors, and that we will make the right choice.