As a child, I was a strong supporter of a manned space program, believing our future was in the stars. However, as I grew older, I became more skeptical. I realized humans are costly, fragile, and inefficient for space exploration. Robotic probes could collect just as much valuable data for a fraction of the cost. Not to mention, space travel is dangerous.
When the Artemis II mission was announced, I was initially unimpressed. Circumnavigating the Moon seemed like a repeat of past achievements, such as Apollo 8. But the Artemis II mission has surprised me. The photos are breathtaking, the crew professional, and there have been significant milestones, like farthest human travel from Earth, diversity milestones, and communication innovations.
One aspect that stood out to me was NASA’s handling of the mission. It was a collective effort, focused on expertise, safety, and science, rather than a billionaire’s vanity project. In a time of scientific skepticism, this mission serves as a reminder of the value of scientific endeavors and the people behind them.
While I may not see the value in establishing colonies on other planets, I believe sending scientific ambassadors into space is valuable. Despite my reservations, I support occasional space missions for scientific goodwill.
