In the 1960s, the rivalry between the superpowers brought us into space, adding a whole new dimension to human life. Nowadays, while funding for space missions has been cut and their objectives have changed, humanity has continued to explore the solar system with probes and robots, less costly than human astronauts, and has observed celestial bodies more closely than ever before. Without politics, science has thrived. But the lack of government funding has also opened space exploration to the forces of capitalism. And for those of us who remain on Earth, space also offers something else—a spiritual dimension, which science keeps alive by seeking answers to fundamental questions: What is the universe made of? How did the solar system form? What are the origins of life? And while colonizing Mars might not be the solution to humanity’s problems, the promise of space is to finally demonstrate that, when necessary, we are able to work together to build a common future for the whole of humanity.