To infinity... and beyond!

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the original Apollo 11 moon landing. I wanted to write something more thoughtful about the incredible importance of space exploration, but I'm too tired (and I have already addressed my feelings on this, to a degree).

Buzz Aldrin (whose name makes me think of Buzz Lightyear), Neil Armstrong's lesser known mission-mate, has been campaigning vigorously for expanded manned space travel, particularly to Mars. He speaks in sweeping terms about the potential for scientific research on and colonization of the Red Planet. Though I think some of his ideas are a little far-flung (or at least part of some distant future), this illustrates, to me, the beauty of space travel. It inspires people to dream about the improbable and enables them to view life on Earth in perspective.

From space, we are invisible specks, living on this speck of a planet, orbiting a speck of a star, in a speck of a galaxy in the great, vast universe. It's hard not to feel the desire to team up, as humans, against this unimaginably huge expanse. Like a form of global patriotism, "other-ing" the universe brings us closer together. At its most idealistic, outer space has the power to unify nations towards the betterment of humankind. It's kind of ironic that something with such glorious potential is deeply rooted in Cold War competition.

I realize I'm being overly philosophical, but there are practical reasons to explore space too. Earth is filled with non-replenishable resources, not least among them room for the species to grow. Our industrialized cities already harm the planet in measurable ways. No one really knows what the true consequences of global warming will be, but it seems like it would be prudent to study the options provided by outer space, both for extraction of raw materials and, ultimately, for the expansion of of the human race into new territory.

Thinking about this makes me smile. In fact, I can't think of anything else more exciting than space exploration. It's a shame that I'll probably die long before we realize most of these grand visions. But I suppose that's why we have Star Trek.