Why Explore or Develop Space?

In my opinion, we strive to explore beyond the Earth for three reasons: curiosity, the challenge, and the advancement of technology for the betterment of our planet and humanity.

Frank Borman, upon becoming the first human to orbit the moon, realized that the earth, like the Apollo spacecraft in which he rode, has only a finite amount of the resources needed to sustain life.  It is my hope that in working together internationally towards a common goal of exploring the universe, we can eliminate our borders in the spirit of cooperation, and potentially achieve sustainable development.

Also, trying to understand our place in the universe allows us to see ourselves from different perspectives.  It helps us to see how fragile we are and, yet, reminds us of our potential.

“To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit”
– Stephen Hawking