According to Tolkien, hobbits don't like to travel. Bilbo Baggins discovered his liking for travel later in life and he communicated his discovery to his nephew, Frodo, “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Roughly 100 million Americans take to the road on vacation every year, some taking two or three trips. It is part of our nature to want to get away and see new things. It's always been so. Humans throughout history have desired to know what's over the next hill and what's beyond the horizon.

Due to constraints of budgets, time and other concerns, some people began to spend their vacations at or near home in so-called "staycations." That's all well and good, and it can be a very relaxing and economical way to refresh yourself. One can relax and unwind with leisurely pursuits and hobbies, or attend to needed projects around the house. 

Many people enjoy traveling within their state or to other destinations across the U.S. The phrase "See America First" was coined around 1906 in response to the habits of wealthy Americans who were spending vast sums to visit Europe. It was thought that by improving access to remote regions such as the Rocky Mountains, more people would consider spending their vacations (and their money) here at home. It worked. The National Park Service reported that 325 million people visited America's national parks last year. Not all were Americans, of course, but that's an impressive number just the same.

Some make it their business to go further. We admire those who've taken great risks and departed into the unknown. The study of the lives and accomplishments of explorers such Marco Polo, Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Vespucci, Magellan, Cook, Shackleton, Armstrong, and Ballard could take a lifetime. Brave men doing great things inspire others to do the same. 

Humanity's explorations began a new phase with Russia's launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957. America followed with Explorer 1 in 1958 and the space race began. Triumphs and tragedies followed. The early accomplishments of Glenn and Shepherd inspired us while the deaths of Grissom, Chaffee, and White made us question the costs. We watched in horror as the astronauts aboard Challenger and Columbia died. Nevertheless, over 8,000 people applied to be astronauts in 2024, less than a dozen of whom will be selected as astronaut candidates.

Watching the SpaceX rockets land back on their pads, even maneuvering precisely into their gantries, is awe-inspiring. Musk says, “You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great -- and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past." That turns out to be true. The technologies developed by NASA have produced such items as laptop computers, laser technology for cataract surgeries, solar cells, water-filtration systems, precision GPS, cochlear implants and CAT scans. 

And we have bigger fish to fry. Author Robert A. Heinlein said that, "The Earth is just too small and fragile a basket for the human race to keep all its eggs in.” Elon Musk is taking Heinlein at his word. He plans on launching unmanned Starship rockets to Mars in 2026. If successful, the first crewed flights will take place in 2030. Colonies on the moon and Mars can one day provide humanity with population safety nets, as well as springboards for more exploration within our solar system.

Only about half of Americans believe that public funding of space travel is worthwhile. Many believe that taxpayer money would be better spent fighting poverty. They cry, "Why go to space when we have so many problems here at home?" Americans have been waging a war on poverty since the early 1960s, spending over $22 trillion along the way. The result is that more people are dependent on the government than ever before. 

Those who counsel us to turn our attention inwards in a futile attempt to solve all of humanity's problems before we look heavenward are endorsing mediocrity. We are fortunate that there are those among us who strive relentlessly forward, who set their sights on goals so ambitious that they seem impossible. The poet Robert Browning wrote, “Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, Or what's a heaven for?” The very act of reaching for those things that may elude us gives us purpose and a sense of fulfillment.

When we plan a vacation, the destination is often just a part of the experience. Caribbean cruises and road trips are about more than the journey's end. We want to enjoy ourselves along the way, maybe even learn a thing or two. The same is true of our space program.

Image: Steve Juvetson