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Why Send Humans Into Space?

February 8, 2003

 

I weep for our lost 7, just as I wept for all the other space program disasters (Mars Pathfinder, Challenger, Apollo).  However, the question "Should we do manned space flights?" has never come to mind.  Rather, another question comes to mind, which is: "Which missions should be manned, and which shouldn't?"

There are several basic facts, which we tend to lose sight of.

  1. There is only ever one real resource.  All other "resources" (time, money, materials, energy sources, economics, politics, etc.) are made up, fabrications stemming from the one true resource.  That resource is our minds and our imagination.  Through it, we create concepts of time to coordinate our activities, concepts of money to motivate and streamline interpersonal transactions, and concepts of how to utilize materials and energies around us.

  2. As clever as we are, and as sophisticated our creations, no machine or computer can ever compare to the sophistication, computing power, and adaptability of the Human brain, nor the ability of the Human body.  Our creations can enhance and extend our abilities.

  3. Commercial viability stems from the presence of Humans; where we are, there is need; where there is need, there is money.  Space will never be commercially viable until permanent Human settlements are established; once they have been established, they will never not be commercially viable.  As proof, look at all of the countries founded on the North, Central, and South American land masses.  None of the expeditions were commercially viable at the beginning, and took a lot of convincing.  However, look at them now - very successful.  One country leads the entire world in just about every aspect of life: technology, science, economy, idealism, military might, and just about everything else that can be thought of as a valuable outcome of civilization.

Given these basic facts, is there any question as to what the mission of NASA should be?

SPACE EXPLORATION AND COLONIZATION

This provides valid environments to foster:

All that is left is to refocus the hurt, anger, and energies of "terrorists" into a productive drive for colonizing our universe.

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