Spaceflight In The 21st Century: Projections, Plans, Chances And Challenges

H. H. Koelle. (1998), JBIS, 51, pp.251-266

Refcode: 1998.51.251

Abstract:

The exploration of space by the people for the people is – as conquering and using the continents, the oceans and atmosphere has been – a consequential step of the evolution of life on Earth. Spaceflight is the means to the explore and utilize space. This is a natural extension of man’s need to understand his environment and hi s urge to explore the unknown. In exploring and utilizing space, humanity as a whole as well as the individual will come to recognize the dimensions of space and time more profoundly giving us a perspective on our existence that will enable us humans to define our role in the world more completely. As long as there is even the most remote possibility of other intelligent forms of life existing in the Universe, it is strategically unwise for humans to wait for such life-forms to notice us, rather than gathering information about them.