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Abstract Galileo and Kepler thought that space travel would be a most exciting adventure. Social, ideological, and scientific critics have challenged their notion. The purpose of this book is to justify Galileo and Kepler’s enthusiasm with philosophical and scientific arguments. It will argue that space exploration will transform our views of the Earth and the universe to the significant benefit of humankind. As we explore space, we challenge our science, and as we challenge our science, we change it in ways so profound that we come to face a different panorama of problems and opportunities in our dealings with the world. New ideas and inventions occur to us that would have been unimaginable under the old perspective. Serendipity is part and parcel of scientific exploration, as illustrated by our adventures in space science. Thus, as we explore other worlds, we gain a broader and deeper understanding of our own planet: for example, our exploration of Venus led to the discovery of the depletion of the ozone layer on Earth. Space exploration has also led to fundamental changes in physics: for example, dark matter and dark energy. Even astrobiology is ripe with promise; the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is more problematic. Discussion of relativistic starships and the exploration of exo-planets will introduce future developments. Finally, a summary of how space exploration meets the critics’ objections will lead to an explanation of how and why scientific space exploration offers far greater chances for the long-term survival of our species.

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