When it comes to the human exploration of space one has really to put scientific considerations to one side. Some think that we, homo sapiens, need to go. Humanity needs a frontier to challenge the spirit of innovation and individualism, a remote frontier to instil vigour and to accelerate the rate of technological innovation. And space is it, the final frontier. And in effectively exploring anywhere you need the human mind, with its acuteness, inquisitiveness and inventiveness, a mind that is quick to find expedients, and a mind that is free of preconceived and pre-programmed prejudices. Only at the frontier do we find the gate through which we can escape the fetters of the past. Just as our distant ancestors broke away from the confines of the Mediterranean sea, we have to break away from the gravitational bondage of planet Earth. The fact that with modern technology Mars and the Moon can be colonised means that is inevitable that we have to go there sometime. It is not a matter of ‘if’, it is merely a matter of ‘when’.

We might quote the electioneering President George W. Bush. He said the “cause of exploration and discovery is not an option we choose; it is a desire written in the heart.” You might only really inspire the younger members of society towards science in general and space science in particular if you can generate interest by involving humans and risking humans.

You might consider the damage that we are doing to our planetary environment and conclude that human space flight could easily become essential if we want the human race to survive. But how will we go about it. The International Space Station illustrates the advantages of friendly cooperation between nations, whereas the Apollo Mission to the Moon underlined the importance of bitter rivalry and a race.

600 million people, a 1/6th of world’s population, watched Neil A. Armstrong set foot on the Sea of Tranquillity. Was it really “one small step for (a) man; One giant leap for mankind”. We have already waited over 35 years since the first moon step. We are clearly going to have to wait even longer to see if mankind can really make the leap.

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Content last updated: 06/12/2004

Prof. David Hughes

David Hughes is Professor of Astronomy at the University of Sheffield and has worked there since 1965. Professor Hughes has published well over 200 research papers concentrating on the solar system and especially the minor bodies such as asteroids, comets, meteorites and meteoroids, and their origin, decay, size distribution and evolution. Hughes' ground-based and spacecraft observations of Halley's Comet led to an interest in the work, life and times of Edmond Halley and the history of astronomy in general. Hughes enjoys giving popular lectures, reviewing books and has had asteroid number 4205 named after him. At present he sits on the Council of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Swedish Space Research Advisory Committee.

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