Human beings have always been explorers. History is full of examples of peoples moving
from one place to another, often facing perilous risk in the process. The motivations are eclectic: prestige, money, mission, curiosity, freedom,
or the thrill.
Now that each continent has been explored, we have two
options: the ocean, or space. I will
admit, I share the perplexity of those who wonder why we are not exploring the
ocean more. That aside, “the final
frontier” allures because humans are explorers.
The frontier represented the call of the unknown. But unlike land on earth as we perceive it
today, space is vast. The potential is
nearly endless. NASA and SpaceX will
find plenty of thrill seekers to volunteer to go to Mars. But others see potential for scientific
discovery, the benefits of which could surpass what came from the space race.
Of course, whatever we do, we should do it with
a degree of caution. The expeditions of
history posed not just logistical questions but ethical ones as well. We will face a new set of those questions
when we finally travel beyond the moon.
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