We believe that the truth is more basic than those posits. The space program, first and foremost, is a quest for knowledge, an eminently worthy effort to respond to a basic uncertainty that has haunted humanity since earliest times. Those questions reside at the core of human inquisitiveness. They address issues that bridge the gap between commoners and kings. When we are asked why space education works so well in school, why students are so universally responsive to it, the answer is simple.
Space is mystery and curiosity is a characteristic that predates human beings.
Behavioral scientists can explain much about the nature of living things, but not why an animal will continue to sniff around after its hunger has been satisfied. There is no explanation other than curiosity. Space is mystery and we are curious. And, as we do, light shines through small apertures on big questions. Finding the final answer in not only unlikely, it is beside the point.