Why We Explore Space: Securing the Next High Ground

I’ve spent my entire professional career advancing aerospace concepts, technologies, and missions for the public good. So, it may sound strange to even ask the question: why do we explore and develop space?

The global space economy reached $613 billion in 2024, with nearly 80% of that driven by the commercial sector. The World Economic Forum projects it could grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035, fueled by satellite broadband, Earth observation, and space‑enabled services across industries like logistics, defense, and climate monitoring.

Meanwhile, NASA’s FY25 budget request was $25.4 billion—a significant investment, though far smaller than many assume given the scale of NASA’s accomplishments.

So, people ask a fair question - why all this investment?

My answer is simple: space is a strategic investment in forging the next “high ground” for human civilization.

Lessons from History

Human progress has always been tied to mastering new domains.

• Agriculture allowed us to settle and build cities.

• Exploration and colonization—though not without darker chapters—expanded human reach.

• In the last two centuries, industrialization, sea power, and air power reshaped global order.

• 
  

Sea power underpinned free global trade after World War II, fueling unprecedented economic growth and improvements in quality of life. Air power became decisive in global conflicts. Each new domain brought not just strategic advantage, but also advances in democracy, education, health, and prosperity.

Space is the next frontier for humans to master and use to enhance quality of life on Earth.

Space as Today’s High Ground

Space is now woven into daily life: communication, navigation, climate monitoring, agriculture, disaster response, and national security all depend on it. The nations that secure the high ground in space will shape values, economics, and quality of life in the century ahead.

That’s why I want nations and cultures that believe in freedom, democracy, and human rights to lead in this domain.

Yes, space exploration brings jobs, STEM education, and technology spin‑offs. But those are secondary. The primary reason is strategic: ensuring that space remains a driver of human progress aligned with values worth defending.

Priorities for the Road Ahead

My take on priorities - ensuring a healthy mix of government, academic, and private sector investment:

1. Earth Orbit Infrastructure

   • Build sustainable capabilities from LEO to GEO.

   • Prioritize communications, navigation, intelligence, and distributed architectures for civil and national security purposes.

   • Expand robust remote sensing for urgent climate monitoring and mitigation. (At risk given the shifts in federal R&D priorities.)

     
     

2. Continuous Human Presence

   • With the ISS nearing end‑of‑life, we must ensure uninterrupted human activity in orbit.

   • Microgravity research and manufacturing hold enormous promise for science and industry.

     
     

3. The Moon as a Strategic Imperative

   • The Moon is the ultimate high ground for exploration.

   • Lunar resources can fuel innovation and new markets.

   • Lunar presence strengthens geopolitical and economic leadership.

     
     

4. Robotic Science Missions

   • Robotic exploration has taught us about space weather, planetary evolution, and solar system composition.

   • These missions remain vital for knowledge and future planning.

     
     

5. Mars as a Horizon Goal

   • While inspiring, human missions to Mars should remain a horizon goal over the long-term.

   • Immediate strategic priorities—Earth orbit, the Moon, climate monitoring—must come first.

   • Investments in Mars technology are valuable, but should not detract from nearer‑term imperatives.

     
     

Closing Thought

Space is not a luxury. It is the next frontier of strategic advantage, economic growth, and human progress. Just as sea and air power shaped the last century, space will shape the next. The question is not whether we should invest in space, but whether we will do so with the foresight, values, and urgency required to secure the high ground for generations to come.