John Hagelin / Nat Goldhaber 2000

Rolling Cyber Debate Question for John Hagelin from October 20, 2000
From Web White & Blue (http://www.webwhiteblue.org)

Question:
Do you believe space exploration is important? How big a priority will NASA be during your administration? What should our focus in space be: medical and scientific research, colonization, a Mars landing, or something else?
Submitted from Alex from Cedar Falls, Iowa, via Yahoo!

Answer:
I would place a strong national priority on fundamental scientific research, including a vital space program.

The exploration of space--and the resulting understanding of the origins of the universe and the laws that govern it--not only leads to a deeper understanding of humanity's role in the cosmos but also leads to important technological spin-offs that improve our quality of life.

Federal support for fundamental research is vital to the future progress of America. For-profit corporations generally fund only short-term research with promise of near-term technological applications. Fundamental, long-term research that impacts our deepest understanding of the laws of nature is the therefore the responsibility of the federal government. A vital space program is an important aspect of this fundamental research.

From a purely scientific standpoint, our space research priorities should be the exploration of the solar system and the distant universe through ground- and space-based unmanned scientific instruments, like the Hubble Telescope and planetary probes. A key priority in this program should be the exploration of Mars, including the plausible existence of subterranean water and the possibility of current or past living organisms.

A subsequent manned Mars landing, if it is a truly international collaboration, would have positive societal, as well as scientific, impact. Such a manned exploration would also start to build the technological foundation for space colonization, should that become a priority for the future of civilization.

In addition to outer space, I will place a strong priority on the exploration of "inner space"--the vast, uncharted domain of human consciousness. Consciousness is truly the "final frontier" of scientific research. Groundbreaking discoveries are transforming our understanding of the brain and the limits of human potential. The full development of the brain and consciousness--of our mind, body and emotions--will have by far the greatest impact on raising the quality of life on Earth.