I’d like to point out these things also depend on what kind of political leadership happens to be on the scene at the time. Adam and ad made valid points.

As for curiosity as a motive: why should scientists who explore the moon get any more public money than historians who explore the past?

The exploration/MEP wave that I noticed over the last 200 years is basically economically driven. This long wave in the economy (55-60 year period) has been known for a long time, and even correlates with the popular generational waves of Strauss and Howe, but because they are much longer than election or funding cycles, they are commonly ignored (e.g., in the media). So the “secret” is safe and they will continue to work for some time.

I used to worry a lot more about “public disinterest” when I was in the aerospace business (General Dynamics) than I do now. There was enormous interest in Lewis & Clark; their notebooks sold like hotcakes. And Americans couldn’t stop wondering about Dr. Livingstone in Africa so they sent Stanley to find the guy. And the level of international obsession about the 1909-11 polar expeditions was almost beyond belief…Not to mention Apollo. When the good times return, — which they always do — the public’s ascent up the Maslow heirarchy will again power enormous interest in all things space!

With all the bad economic news, it’s easy to forget that in summer, 2007 Fortune magazine said the world was experiencing “the greatest economic boom ever.” And in a few years, we’ll pick right up where we left off, just like we have for the last 200 years.

There’s a lot of threats to the planet which *might* cause a major retrogression even if the planetary biosphere is largely untouched. I think if the wider public knew how vulnerable the whole system we live in was to perturbations – like the current oil pain – then they might start seriously thinking about off-world colonization as a means of “backing-up” human society.

But… how to fund the damn thing to start with? The last thing a major move into space needs to be is subjected to the whims and vagaries of the “free market”/speculative crapshoot which so many politicians and demagogues almost worship as God-on-Earth.

“Sorry Mars Colony, but you’re all going to run out of funding before self-sufficiency… better come home for the duration of the next Depression…”

Excellent article! I could not agree with you more.

Perhaps the discovery of a large rock with Earth’s name on it is indeed just what we need to spur the development of long term human space exploratory missions. Another possibility could be economic chaos or political turmoil, and the unfortunate occurrence of “wars or rumors of wars”, resulting from any climatic disruption based on global warming. Such scenarios might instill in our collective political leadership the need to strongly support manned outposts and then colonies on the Earth’s moon, on Mars, in solar orbit and beyond for the survival of our species.

What would be really cool would be any future statements made by any major religious figures such as Pope Benedict XVI of the need for humanity to reach out into the solar system and beyond, not just in support for the pro-life mindset of the Catholic Faith, but for the survival of humanity. I personally would be pleased by such statements made from any religious leader of significant influence. I think such statements would really resonate with the majority of Earth’s inhabitants since most of humanity has a highly integrated faith-based or religion based value system which acts as a strong motivator and a behavioral self-regulation system.

For those persons who profess no faith-based creeds, and who are space heads, no such faith-based motivation is needed to spur them on to advocate for and support manned space exploration and colonization.

Thanks;

Jim