Colonizing Space: The Final Frontier
I embark on this blog to provoke thought from a different perspective. I believe life is all perspective and it is important to modestly and introspectively realize your own. Space programs like NASA are vitally important to the human race. It may be the most important undertaking by intelligent life
witnessed so far. Not only does the program physically and mentally transport us further away from Earth, it brings us closer to understanding who we are. To know we exist as a tiny blue dot endlessly orbiting a gigantic fusion reactor humbles us; we realize how very special this planet is. Our discovery of our insignificance is the very essence of how precious we really are. Commonly thought of as the final frontier, phenomenon like shooting stars, stars, and the sun were previously thought of as the work of some intelligent force, but astronomers soon discovered just how ordered the universe actually is. In fact Cosmos means order. While we may still have a tenuous grasp on the wonders and teachings of the cosmos, humans understand the importance of inquiry; everything we have can be attributed to the Homo Erectus curiously venturing out of Africa some 1.75 million years ago in search of new hunting grounds. The further we move away from our short and fury ancestors to develop our civilization, we slip arrogantly away from the truth that we are still in the adolescence of technology with terrifying capabilities of harnessing the most powerful force known, nuclear. We must learn to live with ourselves before we defend our borders, once we treat the fear behind nation rivalry, wealth disparity, greed, and ego, we may safely remove the threat of destroying ourselves.
I was inspired by the charismatic Carl Sagan when delivering this convoluted message: with the uncertainty that makes life so exciting and beautiful, we run the risk of losing it all if not by our own fault then by some errant asteroid with a lethal collision path. The space program, under proper
guidance and support, can establish a backup colony on some distant territory, under current space travel technology Mars seems the most viable option. This ensures the proliferation of our species should some tragedy occur on Earth. I do not try to sound pessimistic; humans are the greatest creatures that we have ever known to grace the Earth. Presented with a threat to survival I am confident we can overcome it. But I am also not ignorant; history has repeatedly shown its upsets and surprises. To say it will never happen will be to bury our heads in the sand and flip off the dinosaurs simultaneously. I wish only to remain prepared because advent of another colony could take decades to manufacture. Why not have a sturdy backup in case some feisty country with nuclear capabilities 
decides to bring “winter” early. We have a good thing going as intelligent beings. Lets pass on this gift evolution has bestowed on our species, and let future generations develop the unimaginable. I end this post with a quote from Astronaut Edgar Mitchell who recalls his sentiments on life when he stood upon the moon and viewed the Earth from a perspective only the extremely fortunate are honored with, “You develop and instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something about it. From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, 'Look at that, you son of a bitch’”.
Cheers
