Space allows a heretofore unprecedented exchange of information and capabilities for transportation and travel within a global society in which more and more nations are or can be given the opportunity to achieve new prosperities through access to the global market place and global production systems. Observations of Earth from space have created an awareness of the finite limits of this small planet we live on and has pointed humanity toward their responsibilities to monitor and assure the health of our Spaceship Earth. Earth observations from space platforms allow for the real time tracking of hurricanes and typhoons and, by so doing, save human lives in the short term by providing advance disaster warnings never before possible, and in the longer term alerts humanity to undesirable trends in the evolution of the Earth's ecosystem. We cosmonauts and astronauts realize that the presently available capabilities in space are the result of spin-offs from the space exploration of the past. Society must now work hard to maintain the momentum in space exploration if we are to realize the direct as well as yet unimaginable spin-offs and resulting applications of the future.
Space flight has great potential to satisfy the human spirit.
Specifically, the human spirit responds to the opportunity for the exploration of the unknown reaches of space. Further, the growing international cooperation that is required by today's ambitious space projects will advance the goal of a peaceful planet here on Earth as we learn to live together in space. We have no doubts that these new projects endorse the human spirit. The Association of Space Explorers likewise endorses these projects to allow the human spirit to flourish and expand. Humanity requires dreams to help it contend with the difficulties of everyday life.