by Robert Freeman

Created on: September 12, 2009   Last Updated: September 24, 2010

The history of human and robotic exploration of space up to this point has been one full of intrigue, suspense, failure, and success. There are so many stories that have been told and will be re-told for years to come on man's never ending quest to understand what lies above the clouds.

A Rich History

This history is a rich one that man continues to reap benefits from and will continue to do so far into the future, but it's the future where humanity's true hope for success lies. The path to success is being laid as you sit here reading this and the lessons of the past only feed the growing push into the universe. This growing push is all thanks to the hard work of the thousands of astronomers, scientists, politicians, and factory workers who have poured their heart and soul into what they do to ensure that the human and robotic exploration of Earth continues.

The Probes and Telescopes of Today

As we speak there are numerous interplanetary probes speeding through space exploring other worlds and beaming back pictures and data that leave all planet-bound people breathless. These probes have cousins in orbit that peer deep into the universe through their large eyes and open our world to the richness and vastness of space.

These interplanetary probes and gigantic space telescopes are supported by impressive rockets such as the Ariane V and the Proton and, for a dozen or so more months the bus of the stars, the Space Shuttle. Limping along behind these ferocious scimitars of travel are the memories of the Skylab and Mir space stations and of course the equally formidable International Space Station. All these things listed are the ways of the past, though. The Proton and Ariane V are constantly being updated, the Space Shuttle program is ending in 2010 or 2011, and the International Space Station; although in a stage of relative infancy, are becoming things of the past.

The International Space Station and Beyond

The true metal of the international space effort is what will be done in the future as a part of the overall history of the human adventure into space. This future, in part, may be based on what happened in the past; but in order to surge faster and deeper into the vast universe innovation must take precedence and new, never seen before breakthroughs must come about for this adventure to be successful. The sages and foreseers of today see a time when human and robots live and work on the Moon and Mars, developing an interplanetary human community that heavily

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