Since people first looked up at the sky they have dreamed of exploring it. But it wasn’t until the latter part of the 20th century that rockets were made powerful enough to overcome gravity and reach orbital velocities, enabling space exploration to become a reality.
For many nations having a successful space program was seen as an indicator of national power and prestige. This was especially true during the Cold War when both the United States and Soviet Union saw their respective space programs as an important battle along the fluid front of the conflict.
During this time of great international tension, space exploration served not only scientific and technical purposes but was also used to build trust and cooperation between the world’s superpowers. Since the end of the Cold War, the focus has shifted to building partnerships with developing countries as we prepare them for future space participation – as astronauts, crew members, scientists and engineers, and in other ways.
Scientists use spacecraft to probe far-off planets and moons for information about what they are made of, how they formed, and whether or not life can exist on them. In addition, they use telescopies to gather observations from a distance, such as the James Webb Space Telescope which will allow us to see back to the origins of our universe and explore the first galaxies.
Space exploration also provides good benefits for the general public – consumer products like wireless headsets, LED lighting, portable cordless vacuum cleaners, freeze-dried foods and scratch-resistant eyeglass lenses are all derived from technologies developed during the space race. Addressing global public health concerns, social injustices and climate change shouldn’t mean cutting back on space research but rather increasing it.