Purpose of manned exploration in space?

Well, I think it should go on, but when you think about it in a rational
sense, what is the point of it? So we set up a colony on the moon and Mars.
OK, we have done it, what was the point exactly? The apparent eternal search
for another form of life is another thread underpinning our endeavours, and
yet when you think about it, what would be the point?

Assuming we find planets the size of Earth in the right place etc, its
likely to be a very long trip, generations in fact, unless some breakthrough
in the way the universe works manages to let us get to these places by some
other means.

If we are just looking for life with what we laughingly call intelligence,
then listening and sending radio is probably going to throw something up if
it exists.

I hope it does exist, but when you think of the good fortune of our solar
system, with a kindly well behaved star, no nearby explosions to irradiate
the Earth, and the fact that it has a working dynamo inside to magnetically
deflect many particles, and an atmosphere to just the right blueprint to
help us, well how many others like this are there going to be?

OK, there are a lot of stars out there, and there may well be some that are
as fortunate, but as I say, we do seem to be a driven life form, as if when
we finally find some other life, we have some great plan what to do about
it.

Now I'm of course aware there are those out there who believe aliens are
already here, and those who believe our Gods were manifestations of the
visitations etc etc, but if in the cold light of a million suns we end up
just being the result of a cosmic accident, defined by particles akin to
data in a computer, what is the point?


Brian wondering about the point!

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
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On Jun 24, 10:15*am, "Brian Gaff" wrote:
Well, I think it should go on, but when you think about it in a rational
sense, what is the point of it? So we set up a colony on the moon and Mars.
OK, we have done it, what was the point exactly? The apparent eternal search
for another form of life is another thread underpinning our endeavours, and
yet when you think about it, what would be the point?

What's the point of thousands of fans going to see 22 football players
running around a field and millions more watching on TV week after
week after week after week? Exploring space is at least intersting.
--
Gene Seibel
Tales of flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because we fly, we envy no one.

"Gene Seibel" wrote in message
...
On Jun 24, 10:15 am, "Brian Gaff" wrote:
Well, I think it should go on, but when you think about it in a rational
sense, what is the point of it? So we set up a colony on the moon and
Mars.
OK, we have done it, what was the point exactly? The apparent eternal
search
for another form of life is another thread underpinning our endeavours,
and
yet when you think about it, what would be the point?

What's the point of thousands of fans going to see 22 football players
running around a field and millions more watching on TV week after
week after week after week? Exploring space is at least intersting.
--
Gene Seibel
Tales of flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because we fly, we envy no one.

------------
Is it? If it were than thousands of fans would pay for it.

Don't let your own interests bias you against what reality seems to be.


--
Greg Moore
SQL Server DBA Consulting Remote and Onsite available!
Email: sql (at) greenms.com http://www.greenms.com/sqlserver.html