Editing Space exploration (section)

==Rationales==
{{Main|Space advocacy}}
<!--- n.b. Anything added to this section that is unreferenced is going to be deleted!!!!! --->
[[File:Aldrin Apollo 11 original.jpg|thumb| Astronaut [[Buzz Aldrin]] had a personal Communion service when he first arrived on the surface of the [[Moon]].]]
The research that is conducted by national space exploration agencies, such as [[NASA]] and [[Roscosmos]], is one of the reasons supporters cite to justify government expenses. Economic analyses of the NASA programs often showed ongoing economic benefits (such as [[NASA spin-off]]s), generating many times the revenue of the cost of the program.<ref name="doi-1023">{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1023/A:1020207506064| pmid = 14983842| year = 2002| last1 = Hertzfeld | first1 = H. R. | journal = The Journal of Technology Transfer| volume = 27| issue = 4| pages = 311–320|title=Measuring the Economic Returns from Successful NASA Life Sciences Technology Transfers| s2cid = 20304464}}</ref> It is also argued that space exploration would lead to the extraction of resources on other planets and especially asteroids, which contain billions of dollars worth of minerals and metals. Such expeditions could generate substantial revenue.<ref name="nature-2012">{{cite journal |last=Elvis |first=Martin |title=Let's mine asteroids – for science and profit |year=2012 |journal=Nature |volume=485 |issue=7400 |page=549 |doi=10.1038/485549a |pmid=22660280 |bibcode=2012Natur.485..549E |doi-access=free }}</ref> In addition, it has been argued that space exploration programs help inspire youth to study in science and engineering.<ref name="freakonomics">{{cite web |url=http://freakonomics.com/2008/01/11/is-space-exploration-worth-the-cost-a-freakonomics-quorum/ |title=Is Space Exploration Worth the Cost? A Freakonomics Quorum |work=Freakonomics |publisher=freakonomics.com |access-date=27 May 2014 |date=2008-01-11 }}</ref> Space exploration also gives scientists the ability to perform experiments in other settings and expand humanity's knowledge.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Zelenyi|first1=L. M.|last2=Korablev|first2=O. I.|last3=Rodionov|first3=D. S.|last4=Novikov|first4=B. S.|last5=Marchenkov|first5=K. I.|last6=Andreev|first6=O. N.|last7=Larionov|first7=E. V.|date=December 2015|title=Scientific objectives of the scientific equipment of the landing platform of the ExoMars-2018 mission|journal=Solar System Research|language=en|volume=49|issue=7|pages=509–517|doi=10.1134/S0038094615070229|issn=0038-0946|bibcode=2015SoSyR..49..509Z|s2cid=124269328}}</ref>

Another claim is that space exploration is a necessity to humankind and that staying on Earth will eventually lead to [[Human extinction|extinction]]. Some of the reasons are lack of natural resources, comets, nuclear war, and worldwide epidemic. [[Stephen Hawking]], renowned British theoretical physicist, said, "I don't think the human race will survive the next thousand years, unless we spread into space. There are too many accidents that can befall life on a single planet. But I'm an optimist. We will reach out to the stars."<ref name="tele-20011016">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/10/16/nhawk16.xml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040125082643/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2001%2F10%2F16%2Fnhawk16.xml |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 January 2004 |work=The Daily Telegraph |title=Colonies in space may be only hope, says Hawking |date=15 October 2001 |access-date=5 August 2007 |location=London |first=Roger |last=Highfield }}</ref> Author [[Arthur C. Clarke]] (1950) presented a summary of motivations for the human exploration of space in his non-fiction semi-technical monograph ''Interplanetary Flight''.<ref name="intro-ast">{{cite book|title=Interplanetary Flight – An Introduction to Astronautics|last=Clarke|first=Arthur C.|publisher=Harper & Brothers|year=1950|location=New York|chapter=10}}</ref> He argued that humanity's choice is essentially between expansion off Earth into space, versus cultural (and eventually biological) stagnation and death.

These motivations could be attributed to one of the first rocket scientists in NASA, [[Wernher von Braun]], and his vision of humans moving beyond Earth. The basis of this plan was to:

<blockquote>Develop multi-stage rockets capable of placing satellites, animals, and humans in space.

Development of large, winged reusable spacecraft capable of carrying humans and equipment into Earth orbit in a way that made space access routine and cost-effective.

Construction of a large, permanently occupied space station to be used as a platform both to observe Earth and from which to launch deep space expeditions.

Launching the first human flights around the Moon, leading to the first landings of humans on the Moon, with the intent of exploring that body and establishing permanent lunar bases.

Assembly and fueling of spaceships in Earth orbit for the purpose of sending humans to Mars with the intent of eventually colonizing that planet.<ref name="doi:10.1016">{{Cite journal | year = 2007| last1 = Launius | first1 = R. D. | last2 = Mccurdy |  first2 =  H. E. | journal = Technology in Society| volume = 29| issue = 3| pages = 271–282|title=Robots and humans in space flight: Technology, evolution, and interplanetary travel | doi = 10.1016/j.techsoc.2007.04.007 }}</ref></blockquote>

Known as the Von Braun Paradigm, the plan was formulated to lead humans in the exploration of space. Von Braun's vision of human space exploration served as the model for efforts in space exploration well into the twenty-first century, with NASA incorporating this approach into the majority of their projects.<ref name="doi:10.1016" /> The steps were followed out of order, as seen by the Apollo program reaching the moon before the space shuttle program was started, which in turn was used to complete the International Space Station. Von Braun's Paradigm formed NASA's drive for human exploration, in the hopes that humans discover the far reaches of the universe.

NASA has produced a series of public service announcement videos supporting the concept of space exploration.<ref name="yt-EewrC22ysus">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EewrC22ysus |title=NASA "Reach" Public Service Announcement for Space Exploration |date=31 March 2012 |publisher=NASA }}</ref>

Overall, the U.S. public remains largely supportive of both crewed and uncrewed space exploration. According to an [[Associated Press]] Poll conducted in July 2003, 71% of U.S. citizens agreed with the statement that the space program is "a good investment", compared to 21% who did not.<ref name="poll-2">{{cite web |url=http://www.pollingreport.com/space2.htm |publisher=Pollingreport.com |title=Origin of Human Life – USA Today/Gallup Poll |date=3 July 2007 |access-date=25 December 2013 }}</ref>

=== Human nature ===
[[Space advocacy]] and [[space policy]]<ref name="AtlanticDestiny">{{cite web |first=Marina |last=Koren |date=17 September 2020 |title=No One Should 'Colonize' Space |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/09/manifest-destiny-trump-space-exploration/612439/ |access-date=2 November 2020 |website=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref> regularly invokes exploration as a [[human nature]].<ref name="Destiny">{{cite web |last=Weibel |first=Deana L. |author-link=Deana Weibel |date=12 July 2019 |title=Destiny in Space |url=http://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2019/07/12/destiny-in-space/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031100927/http://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2019/07/12/destiny-in-space/ |archive-date=31 October 2020 |access-date=2 December 2020 |publisher=American Anthropological Association}}</ref>