Throughout human history, people have gazed up into the night sky and dreamed about space. With the development of rockets capable of overcoming gravity and reaching orbital velocity, space exploration became a reality in the latter half of the 20th century.
Initially, nations pursued space programs as sources of prestige and national power. But as the Cold War ended, a new rationale for government-funded space programs emerged — one that focused on measurable, direct benefits to humanity.
By launching satellites into space, we’ve learned a tremendous amount about the planets and stars in our solar system. The astronomical discoveries made by NASA’s probes and unmanned spacecraft have helped us understand more about the Universe itself, including its very beginning.
As methods for getting to space commoditize — as they are now doing thanks to SpaceX’s cost-effective, partially reusable rockets – we are increasingly looking beyond our home in the Solar System. In fact, Morgan Stanley estimates that the global space economy will grow to over $1T by 2040.
Space exploration is also a powerful diplomatic tool. The International Space Station (ISS) is a pinnacle of international cooperation, bringing together the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Japan, Europe, and others. And future missions, like the upcoming ExoMars program, will bring astronauts from multiple countries to explore the surface and subsurface of Mars.
Finally, space exploration is a source of hope and optimism for all humans. The scientists, engineers, and crew members who work in this field are from a variety of backgrounds, but all share a common passion for exploring the unknown. Their efforts are a reminder that the world is a smaller place, and we are all connected to each other, in ways we may not always realize.