Human space exploration drives discovery. It is vital to gaining essential knowledge about our home planet, its environment and ourselves. Our world leadership and economic security are being globally challenged while our way of life is depleting the known natural resources of our planet. Research conducted in space provides critical information to help us win these battles for our country for the sake of future generations.
Facts to consider
Human space exploration is really the only way we can find out more about:
The history and make-up of our planet and those around us.
How to better manage our planet, its climate and its resources.
How human physiology is affected by the environment.
How to live, work and thrive in hostile environments, including our own planet.
The continued leadership of the United States in the exploration of space demonstrates our technological superiority as well as our determination to use it in the pursuit of knowledge and discovery.
China, which launched its first man into space in 2003, also has set its sights on the Moon and is rapidly advancing in that direction, propelled by its natural resources and national will. According to recent Coalition focus group research (August 2006), when told China aims to land on the moon in the next decade (before the U.S. returns), some adults expressed concern that China might have military aspirations for the moon. There was also suspicion that China would not share discoveries with other nations the way America did with the first moon landings.
