"Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again. But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas? We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to
accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and
one which we intend to win, and the others, too."
Artificial limbs Baby formula Cell-phone cameras Computer mouse Cordless tools Ear thermometer Firefighter gear Freeze-dried food Golf clubs Long-distance communication Invisible braces MRI and CAT scans Memory foam Safer highways Solar panels Shoe insoles Ski boots Adjustable smoke detector Water filters UV-blocking sunglasses Scratch Resistant Lenses
‘Humanity's interest in the heavens has been universal and enduring. Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.’ (NASA, Why We Explore, 2014)
There’s a question that troubles us all, from the time that we are first able to think. And that is: Where did we come from? And this question is so compelling, that we’ve invented the science of astronomy. We’ve discovered these natural laws, so that we can learn more about our origin and where we came from. This is what drives us— this is what we wanna know lets keep looking lets keep searching, we have come to be because of the universe’s existence, and we are driven to pursue that—to find out where we came from. The ‘Joy of Discovery’ that’s what drives us; and these questions are deep within us. Where did we come from? What was before the big bang? To us this is wonderful and charming and compelling this is what makes us get up and go to work everyday. We are—you and I— at least one of the ways that the universe knows itself. It fills me with joy to make discoveries every day of things I had never seen before. To know that we can pursue these answers. Where did we come from?
‘Mars has always been a source of inspiration for explorers and scientists. Robotic missions have found evidence of water, but if life exists beyond Earth still remains a mystery. Robotic and scientific robotic missions have shown that Mars has characteristics and a history similar to Earth's, but we know that there are striking differences that we have yet to begin to understand. Humans can build upon this knowledge and look for signs of life and investigate Mars' geological evolution, resulting in research and methods that could be applied here on Earth. A mission to our nearest planetary neighbour provides the best opportunity to demonstrate that humans can live for extended, even permanent, stays beyond low Earth orbit. The technology and space systems required to transport and sustain explorers will drive innovation and encourage creative ways to address challenges. As previous space endeavours have demonstrated, the resulting ingenuity and technologies will have long lasting benefits and applications. The challenge of traveling to Mars and learning how to live there will encourage nations around the world to work together to achieve such an ambitious undertaking. The International Space station has shown that opportunities for collaboration will highlight our common interests and provide a global sense of community.’