Is space exploration really desirable at a time when so much needs to be done on Earth? It is a serious question that requires a serious answer. One could present many answers as to why undertaking a robust space program is necessary, including everything related to jobs, education, technology development, and national security. In an ideal world, however, one answer is sufficient: we should undertake it for the most basic of reasons—for our self-preservation as a creative, as opposed to a stagnating, society. The concept of space exploration is deeply rooted in our historical context. Exploration has always been part of the American character. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to American society for centuries. For example, the exploration of the American West during the 19th century is a prime example of American exploration that led to the advancement of society. More land was found on the western frontier for settlement and new resources were discovered for use, leading to the nation's growth. Some have argued that many of the distinctive characteristics that make up American society, including inventiveness, inquisitiveness, and individualism, derived from the existence of a frontier. Although the western frontier closed around 1890, Americans later found a new frontier where that same curiosity translated to space exploration. Space as a new frontier has always been a driver of the U. S. space programs. As H. G. Wells said many years ago, "Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe." We are still in that race today, and surely an international cooperative venture into space strikes a blow against catastrophe and leads to a victory for civilization. Great things were achieved in the past in the name of competition, including the Apollo program, which would never have happened without Cold War competition. The Space Race between the Soviet Union and the U. S. led to the develo