Forty-six years ago today, NASA began its unprecedented journey of exploration and discovery.
As NASA celebrates its “birthday,” reflecting on the past and
focusing on the future, we are proud to introduce “Why We
Explore,” a series of online essays offering historical
perspectives on fulfilling the Vision for Space Exploration.
As NASA plans bold new journeys to the moon, Mars and beyond,
NASA Chief Historian Steven J. Dick examines humanity’s age-
old need to seek out new worlds. In the first essay, Dick
argues, “the question ‘Should we explore?’ must be seen in
deep historical context, not in the context of present-day
politics or whims.”
Dick looks back at how past cultures answered that question,
and looks forward as well.
“Some day historians will be writing about whether or not WE
chose wisely, not only to make a proposal to explore, but
also to fund it,” Dick said.
A future essay will address the broad consequences of
exploration and how it changes cultures as well as
individuals. Another will discuss “knowns and unknowns”
against the backdrop of the Apollo program. “Why We Explore,”
other news and multimedia features about the Vision for Space
Exploration are available on the Web at:
A multimedia feature about NASA’s history, produced in 2003
to honor the agency’s 45th anniversary, is available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/NASA45th
For more about NASA’s history on the Web, visit the History
Office at:
