Why Do Humans Explore Space? | A Conversation with a NASA Engineer
Why Do We Explore Outer Space?
With renewed attention on NASA’s Artemis missions and the future of human space travel, we’ve been thinking about a question that is both scientific and deeply philosophical:
Why do we feel driven to explore at all?
A few years ago, we had the opportunity to speak with NASA engineer Tracy Drain about space exploration, curiosity, and the human desire to understand the universe.
Drain said: “That drive to explore, that drive to know… it scratches a certain itch that is just really, really satisfying.”
There’s something powerful in that idea. From ancient philosophy to modern engineering, the desire to know, to understand why the sky is blue, how the sun produces energy, what exists beyond Earth, is part of what makes us human.
As conversations about returning to the Moon and traveling deeper into space continue, this episode feels more relevant than ever.
We’re sharing this episode again for anyone who wants to think more deeply about:
curiosity and human nature
the philosophy of science
what exploration says about who we are
Listen here: “To Infinity and Beyond” with Tracy Drain.