The exploration of space has long captured the imagination of people from all walks of life. Yet, until recently the expense and technical challenges of achieving human spaceflight meant that it was only national governments that could afford to send men and machines into the stars. These government programs served many purposes, from increasing knowledge and enhancing economic development to providing national prestige and power.
With the advent of private spaceflight companies like SpaceX and commercially viable space stations, human space exploration has shifted to a new paradigm. However, even with the shift in cost and landscape, the overall purpose of the endeavor remains the same: to reach out into our solar system and beyond.
To do so, we must develop a variety of technologies. These include building spacecraft that can withstand the tremendous forces of launch and space travel, developing vehicles to take humans, animals, and cargo into space, constructing the first satellites and their associated systems for Earth observation and communication, and ultimately sending people into space.
Space is a hostile environment for both man and machine. Its vast reaches are filled with radiation and swept by charged particles that range from large meteoroids to the microscopic dust called cosmic dust. Only with great ingenuity can people and their equipment survive in space.
Exploration of space provides children, young adults, and their parents with an awe-inspiring experience that can bring people together regardless of political or cultural differences. It also inspires future generations to dream big, think smart, and pursue careers in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics.