02/14/03

T

here has been much discus sion in the media, following the Columbia disaster, about whether the science performed aboard the space shuttle is worth the cost, in dollars, and more importantly, in human life.

Much of the current debate, however, misses the point. There is essentially only one good reason to send human beings into space, and that is, to send human beings into space!

The science done aboard the shuttle, or aboard the International Space Station generally can never compete with the science done by unmanned NASA missions in bang-for-the-buck terms. That's because almost all of the cost associated with sending human beings into space involves keeping them alive while there and bringing them home safely. The relative cost of scientific components of manned space missions thus is usually marginal. It is for this reason that many professional scientific societies, including the American Physical Society, have come out against continuing large expenditures in the International Space Station on the basis of its potential scientific benefits.

This is not to say that the scientific experiments carried out aboard the shuttle and space station, including the microgravity experiments being carried out on Columbia, were not real science. They were, and for most of them a shuttle environment may have been essential. It is just that these experiments and the results obtained from them generally cannot be justified in terms of the huge cost when compared with myriad scientific experiments and observations that could be performed in space with unmanned space missions.

But this does not imply we should not send humans into space. NASA has too often justified this endeavor in terms of possible scientific spin-offs, when the real reason to send humans into space must be associated with adventure, with exploring "where no man or woman has gone before."

Indeed, "Star Trek" has remained popular for more than 35 years, in part, because it has played off our desire to leave the confines of the Earth. Humans have an insatiable appetite for exploration. Ultimately, whether we like it or not, our long-term destiny, if we are to have a long-term destiny, lies in space.

Eventually, we will outgrow this planet. Some pioneers will be willing to leave the safety of terra firma to meet the unknown dangers associated with life in space, with the recognition that the trip may be one way. The reasons for doing so will be the same as they always have been: Either life on Earth will be intolerable, or the lure of the unknown will be irresistible.

Human space travel inspires people like little else. While Hubble Space Telescope photographs are inspiring, nothing really gets people excited like seeing humans explore space. Astronauts are much bigger draws than astronomers in almost every popular context. Their voyages have spurred the imaginations of many a child - including this one during the Apollo moon missions - who later might choose a career in science motivated, in part, by the excitement of watching astronauts probe the unknown.

Recently, I shared the podium at a lecture for teachers with one of the astronauts who repaired the Hubble Space Telescope. While my lecture on the discoveries we have made with the Hubble was of some interest, you could feel the excitement surge when my friend showed his "travel footage."

There is room in space for both science and adventure. If we are honest about the goals, there should be money to support good, unmanned science in space, as well as manned space missions that can teach us how humans can function and survive in space. Ultimately, in the very long term, we may one day explore nearby planets, or even establish permanent colonies elsewhere. But only if we recognize what human space exploration is really all about can we make an informed decision about whether and how to fund it.

Krauss is chairman of the Physics Department at Case Western Reserve University, and the author most recently of "Atom: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth and Beyond."

© 2003 The Plain Dealer. Used with permission.