Space exploration is already happening. There is no doubt about that. Is there something more that we can do? I think there is. And we should be doing more.
Space exploration and space colonization is limited by technology and mindset about investing in space technologies. Why spend so much money when there are more pressing problems on Earth? Because solving problems in space will help us solve problems on Earth. Living in space and on Earth is the same. You need the same things: food, water, oxygen, people, healthy environment. But in space, we have to create the environment ourselves. We cannot count on nature and it's exploitation. Solutions we develop for space will be then used here on Earth as it happened in the past. One example is the CMOS camera sensor. NASA wanted better scientific images and CCD sensors were power-hungry. NASA pioneered new technology, but nobody believed this technology can be developed further for consumers. Some people did not give up and continued working on it in the spin-off company. After years of struggles they succeeded. Thanks to them, we all have cameras in our phones and can take pictures everywhere.[1]
Humans have explored since their dawn. Why stop now? Exploration of space can provide something to look forward to, to inspire us, to dream big. People are becoming tired of creating apps and optimizing the hell out of advertising. When Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, it was a great achievement. It united people around the world but faded quickly. Not much has happened since that. Space Shuttle was a technical feat but failed to live up to its original design. We need to adopt an infinite game mindset to learn from the past.
Infinite Game is a game with no end, no rules. You drop out of the game when you run out of will or resources to play. For example, you cannot win marriage or work. This is the kind of thinking we need to adapt. To dream, inspire others and contribute to a just cause. Learn and help. Unite. Grow. It can be a life-transforming experience.
We are very subjective and emotional beings. What works for one does not work for another. Why do different people love different things? What makes us wake up from the bed every day? It is the purpose we have, why we do what we do. And what cause we want to contribute to. I have found out that mine is to help humans to become a space-faring civilization. That reflects my cause to help develop technology to enable humans to live permanently in space and on planets. It is a bold vision. But visions must be bold.
When Neil Armstrong looked at the Moon, he could say "I was there". That sets the bar pretty high.
Thanks to Michal and Lukas for reading drafts of this.
1. More information can be founded here: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2017/cg_1.html