My position is that it is high time for a calm debate on more fundamental questions. Does human spaceflight continue to serve a compelling cultural purpose and/or our national interest? Or does human spaceflight simply have a life of its own, without a realistic objective that is remotely commensurate with its costs? Or, indeed, is human spaceflight now obsolete?
![My position is that it is high time for a calm debate on more fundamental questions. Does human spaceflight continue to serve a compelling cultural purpose and/or our national interest? Or does human spaceflight simply](http://cdn.myquotes.org/images/james-van-allen/my-position-is-that-it-is-high-time-for-a-calm-debate-on-more-fundamental-questions-does-human-spaceflight-continue.jpg)