Space: Clean Water or McDonalds on Mars?

There was an interesting article by Lucy and Stephen Hawking in The Times at the weekend about the future of space exploration. I'm sure you know the background: with so much need on Earth, is it justifiable to spend billions on space research and exploration? Stephen H is - as you would imagine - in favour. His main reason was to ensure that this world - humanity in the collective - has a future. I understand his point, although some of what he said made me squirm slightly. Comparing the world now to the world just before Columbus set sail in 1492, he comments: "The discovery of the new world made a profound difference to the old. Just think, we wouldn't have KFC or the Big Mac."

When the amount spent on space could probably provide clean drinking water for the entire Third World, and when you look at the problems caused by junk food, this is a rather unfortunate comment. Yes, I'm sure he means it as a humorous way of getting people to think about the issue in everyday terms, but still... Forget clean water! We can have a McDonalds on Mars in 50 years! Is that the best you can do, Stephen?

For myself, I feel both sides of the discussion. I instinctively feel it is wrong to spend money on hi-tech projects when so many in the world are suffering. And yet...

I believe that we do need big dreams. We do need new frontiers. At least, men do. Here in Western societies, for the first time ever we have no frontiers. Throughout history, people who didn't wish to be a member of society could simply leave - travel into the wilderness and build a new home where they wanted. Hunt, trap and live off the land. But gradually that possibility has been contracting, and now only exists in fairy tales. People who are cast out or wish to be outsiders have nowhere to go. They gravitate to cities and live in cardboard boxes. There is no small piece of land they can take and call their own. All the land is taken, and they have no wealth to buy some. Nowadays you cannot set out with a piece of bread and cheese to seek your fortune.

But maybe one day it will be possble again. An empty planet, a blank canvas to dream upon, frontiers to explore, room to breathe.

Men need challenge, a space to be, independence, freedom. The most they have now is the sanctum of a garden shed. Alpha Centauri? Bring it on.