Echoes Of A Greater Invitation

Some advocates of space exploration point out the statistical risks of large rocks colliding with the Earth and bringing our civilisation to its knees and causing untold suffering. "So let's get up there and learn how to deflect the rocks!" they say. I can see the sense in doing so. Any effort to defend the defenceless and bring help to those in need is right up my street, as one who attempts to follow the example of Jesus. (Read: stumbling, hesitantly, trying to keep up... )

The Hayabusa probe, developed by the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA) to return a sample of material
from a small near-Earth asteroid in 2005.

Others now are developing robotic - and then crewed - spacecraft to explore and exploit the mineral wealth of the same asteroids - Near Earth Objects, as they're sometimes called - saying that this will boost the global economy. And I think they're probably right.

Planetary Resources' proposed Interceptor, a low
cost asteroid mission that enables accelerated exploration

As you can see from my other posts, though, the most stirring and visionary reason I can see for developing reusable, affordable launchers and capabilities for long-duration space missions is to allow human beings to settle other worlds such as Mars. Elon Musk, brilliant and innovative billionaire founder and CEO of SpaceX, aims to build a colony on Mars in order to make humanity a 'multi-planetary species' - ie. a species able to survive disasters such as careless asteroids falling on our homeworld. He really is trying to save the world! Correction - trying to save the species...

Reaching and settling Mars is often cited as the New Frontier, a huge task for freedom-loving people that will re-ignite the vitality and spirit of New World settlers during the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries.

An areologist examines rocks on the floor
of a canyon on Mars. Image from http://blogs.kqed.org/science/

Didn't you feel your blood stirring just a little when Mars One issued its invitation for colonists? Of course, when they realised that the colonists were expecting to live the rest of their lives on Mars, most people drew back and would not consider the offer for themselves, however much they might identify with the aims of Mars One.

However, it also resonates with me, this plan for the 'marstronauts' to lay down their Earthly lives and devote themselves to a great, historic cause. Colonising Mars in itself I think is a worthy vision, but not so much in the manner of Elon Musk. I just believe that all the Universe is God's Universe and it's our honour and privilege to be able to explore it, live in it, and look after it responsibly for the good of all.

But seeing the Mars One recruits get ready makes me think how each of us is called to an even greater challenge, whichever planet we happen to live on.
Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple [meaning, apprentice or student] must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (from Matthew's Gospel, chapter 16)

We Jesus-people may look odd to others, or may be mistaken for the American Right, but what we're called to do is to live a radical life of love in the footsteps of our Master. That's something that has been changing the world for the better for the past twenty centuries (with some notable failures and fakes).


Oh, and the long-term survival of the species is already assured, Elon. Forever. To join up, you just have to leave everything behind and follow Jesus into his New World.