What to do about the endeavor of space exploration? Does it matter like it used to? Did it ever matter? Does its relevance live up to the challenges and expenses it necessitates? Does it capture the hearts and minds and dreams of humanity?

Should it?

These are the tough questions NASA and other space programs of the world must ask. Not once or twice in fifty years, but continuously, diligently, and without fail. It is an introspection of massive importance and significance. If the endeavor of space exploration seeks to extend the collective knowledge of humanity, extend humanity’s physical presence and its awareness of the universe beyond the Earth, then this introspection is not one to be undertaken by the few in power—it is one that everyone must take seriously—NASA employees, space industry professionals, and the citizens of the world—because, simply, it is of vital importance.

Proponents of space exploration imagine a future where people and machines live and work in space and that there are clear benefits in doing so. It isn’t a huge leap to say that most Americans are in favor of NASA and, in fact, are proud of the agency because of its past, despite not really knowing much about what or why NASA operates today. And so, the challenge is to connect an increasingly impatient public with the grand, noble efforts that we, as stakeholders in the endeavor and as citizens of the world, feel passionately about undertaking in space exploration.

That’s the picture. We need to ask the tough questions and consider that ‘we’ is not an exclusive club of space industry people anymore. Everybody needs to ask these tough questions. So, the challenge is—how do we get people to be interested enough to engage in this introspection?

Getting people to explore these questions will not be easy. It will take some clever strategies and tactics. We may not like what people ask. We may not like the answers people come up with. But if we don’t get them to ask the questions, we will never connect to them. Not really. People will always want to watch launches of people into space, simply because it is entertaining. Space is still cool. Rockets and fire and danger are still cool. But to get people to care about the purpose takes a little more.