Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!samsung!emory!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
From: gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: A philosophical question
Message-ID: <1520@ke4zv.UUCP>
Date: 13 Nov 90 01:36:38 GMT
References: <1990Nov12.034438.29656@infonode.ingr.com>
Reply-To: gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman)
Organization: Gannett Technologies Group
Lines: 38

In article <1990Nov12.034438.29656@infonode.ingr.com> rusty@infonode.ingr.com (Rusty Wiginton) writes:
>
>     I'm interested in your thoughts about the importance of space
>     exploration and other NASA activities -- Not so much from a 
>     scientific or technological standpoint, but from a personal/
>     philosophical one. Why, for example, do you feel it is important
>     to pursue long-term programs, such as Space Station Freedom or
>     say, a manned mission to Mars? Why should  billions of dollars
>     be spent on projects that cannot promise success? I know this
>     question has been asked before but with current issues leaning
>     toward budget constraints and NASA's reliablilty, I'd like to
>     see a different point of view.

I consider space exploration important for two non-rational reasons.

1. I'm intensely curious about what's out there. This need to know is
   a personal hunger that drives me in many facets of my life.

2. I believe that exploration and basic research almost always pay off.
   Often the payoff is in a totally unexpected direction. I don't know
   what will be discovered. If I did, we wouldn't need to go look. But,
   I believe that a prolonged open minded presence in space will discover
   things that will profoundly change the way we think about some aspect
   of our everyday lives.

Programs that can guarrantee success probably won't discover anything worth
while. "Safe" programs seldom deliver anything new. Therefore we must be
risk takers in space. I don't mean that we should take foolish risks like
space stations made of balloons, but instead take the risks of bold steps
outside our cozy LEO. The interesting things are usually in the far corners.

I consider manned exploration essential because machines only look for what
they're told to look for. A machine won't casually look around and say,
"Hmm that looks interesting. I think I'll stop and take a closer look".
No matter how good the pictures, a person on the scene has better perception
of his enviornment than anyone viewing a TV screen.

Gary