The Mars rover Curiosity is scheduled to touch down around 1:30am this evening and for fourteen minutes we won’t know if it ended in nothing more than a cloud of red dust and a tangle of twisted metal and wire. The unfortunate truth is that even if the rover sticks a landing so improbable that the entire scenario seems more based in science fiction than science fact, it will in all likelihood count for little in swaying the current opinion of space exploration; that we are better off worrying about the problems on earth than dreaming about the stars. The justifiable concern is that a disastrous landing would lead to complete disillusionment in the Mars program and a moratorium on our efforts to explore further; that the aspirations of the great, golden space age of the last century will finally be snuffed out entirely in our retreat from adversity. The truth is that space exploration compensates for the millions invested not in rocks or soil samples, but in increased knowledge and new technologies for all mankind; in inspiring us to work together to solve greater problems and in renewed hope and optimism for the human race. It forces us to embrace our future; to not wallow in our apathy or resign ourselves to the dystopian world that some would say is all but inevitable. It fosters the belief that one day all the sacrifices made and “wasted” efforts will lead to a discovery of such importance that it will unite us against our shared problems to benefit mankind as a whole. With that in mind I say good luck and safe landings with the hope that it marks a new age of exploration rather than signaling an end to an adventure that has barely begun.
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