a space exploration manifesto

[philbert]

I was just wondering if anyone has written a statement on why we think
space exploration is a good idea. Not that I believe it isn't, quite
the contrary, but I believe there has been a singular lack of
direction in space exploration advocacy that has worked against us.
There are many exciting ideas and suggestions from those of us who
wish to see humanity write it's history in the stars, and all of them
should be taken into consideration. I just would like to see a
manifesto stating our plans and goals for space exploration and
colonization put to paper and presented as a plan of action for space
agencies the whole world over, so we can work at it together instead
of using space as a political tool for posturing and bragging rights.
I believe that we humans have the technology, the drive, the courage
and the tenacity to take our flag to the worlds in our solar system
and, later, beyond. But first we need to organize and direct our
efforts into a singular plan so we can focus on taking the necessary
steps towards interplanetary exploration and settlement.

[Paul D. Fernhout]

Hope? :-)

Fun? :-)

Spirituality? :-)

Love? :-)

--Paul Fernhout
http://www.pdfernhout.net/

[Rob]

The reason Columbus used to leave Spain was that he thought he could figure out a faster route to India and get easier access to resources.  The reason to fight a war is usually control over resources.  Therefore, the reason to explore space is resources.  It's just tough to articulate what can be gained by extracting resources from space because of the huge costs involved. 

The physicist Stephen Hawking expresses complex views of why to go to space, but the main push is that the Earth won't last forever and we need to seek alternatives to continue our human race.  He is quoted as saying, "I believe that life on Earth is at an ever increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus, or other dangers. I think the human race has no future if it doesn't go into space."

Therefore, the resource to gain while pursuing space exploration is a viable alternative to Earth.  The trouble is the Earth we occupy right now is actually in good shape with respect to providing us with necessary resources for the next couple hundred years (thank goodness), so spending money to develop space systems is a tough argument to make politically.

Cheers,
Rob