Space exploration has long captivated the public imagination, symbolizing human progress and technological achievement.

However, when viewed through the lens of the prominence effect, it becomes clear that our fascination with venturing into the cosmos may be distracting us from more pressing issues on Earth.

A ‘Poor People’s’ protest at the Apollo 11 launch. Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis via Getty Images.

As we’ve seen in previous articles, our tendency to give undue attention to certain aspects of a situation, may make us overlook other important factors, as we prioritize what's most prominent in our minds rather than what's truly important. But are we forced to choose between space exploration and addressing Earth's problems, or can we find a balance that serves both?

Let’s keep up with our journey through history.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave a speech, amid the growing perception that the U.S. was losing the Space Race to the Soviet Union, especially after the launch of Sputnik.

He proposed landing a man on the Moon as a way to restore American prestige.

This ambitious goal, though initially unpopular due to its enormous cost, became a defining moment in the Apollo program and symbolized U.S. power.

However, the focus on space exploration diverted national attention and resources away from pressing issues, such as the Vietnam conflict, civil rights struggles, and economic inequality, offering an inspiring but ultimately superficial response to deeper societal problems.

This video shows a significant moment in 1969, when civil rights leader Reverend Ralph Abernathy, alongside other activists from the Poor People's Campaign, protested the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Their demonstration was not against the space exploration itself, but rather the government's priorities. The activists argued that the billions spent on space missions could have been better used to address urgent issues on Earth, such as poverty, hunger, and inadequate housing.

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In the Soviet Union, the Space Race highlighted achievements like the launch of Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin’s historic spaceflight that were used to boost national pride, similar to how the U.S. used the Apollo program to project power and prestige.

However, this also served to distract from significant domestic issues like economic hardship, food shortages, poor living conditions, and political repression.

The prominence effect in space exploration isn't just an echo of the Cold War era. Even today, vast sums are invested in missions to Mars or the search for habitable planets, while vital issues like climate change, food insecurity, and inequality persist.

“It’s time to go back to the moon—this time, to stay,” states Jeff Bezos, as Elon Musk competes to dominate the race to land there first.

While some argue that this is a distraction, space exploration has brought valuable advances—such as satellite technology used for environmental monitoring, weather forecasting, and communications—suggesting that the issue is not as simple as abandoning these projects altogether.

What may be problematic is the necessity to leave and “explore” space as a way to draw attention away from the Earth's most pressing problems.

The “billionaire space race” has highlighted how wealthy individuals like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson are funneling immense personal wealth into space tourism and colonization projects, yet these companies’ labor practices and tax strategies have raised concerns.

Critics argue that, instead of pursuing space tourism, billionaires could use their resources to address wealth inequality, improve worker conditions, and support health and education initiatives on Earth.

As an example, this video describes Bezos’ fight against Amazon workers unionizing:

Another controversial statement has surfaced, with Bezos publicly claiming that "humans can move the polluting industry off Earth and into space", which seems like the plot of a dystopian science fiction movie:

While space exploration inspires, it can shift focus from urgent challenges on Earth. However, stopping it wouldn’t guarantee that funds would go to social welfare; political and economic forces still control resource allocation.

The real challenge is advocating for a balanced approach that supports both scientific innovation and addressing pressing societal needs.

Instead of choosing between space and Earth, we should ask: Why are we more excited about colonizing Mars than tackling critical issues facing our planet?

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