Douthat: Idealism Alone Can't Sustain the Space Program

The 21st century space race is more about commercial discoveries than physical destinations.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 7:06am

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A highly structured abstract painting featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise botanical spirals in earthy tones of green, blue, and brown against a clean white background, conveying the complex forces and potential of space exploration.As the new space age unfolds, the quest for commercial discoveries may prove as vital as the pursuit of scientific knowledge and human exploration.Houston Today

Columnist Ross Douthat argues that while the idealism and ambition behind the space program are inspiring, they alone are not enough to keep humanity's exploration of the cosmos going in the long run. He suggests that, as in past eras of human exploration, the space program will need to find concrete, material, and remunerative reasons to stay up and keep going, or else risk having the window of opportunity close again due to budgetary constraints, cultural exhaustion, or geopolitical tensions.

Why it matters

The future of the space program has significant implications for technological advancement, scientific discovery, and humanity's long-term expansion into the cosmos. Douthat's perspective highlights the need to balance idealism with pragmatic economic and strategic considerations in order to sustain space exploration over the coming decades.

The details

Douthat reflects on the famous 1962 speech by President John F. Kennedy at Rice University, in which Kennedy portrayed the Apollo mission to the moon as a grand adventure undertaken 'because it's there.' While Douthat admires the idealism and aspirational nature of this argument, he notes that Kennedy also tried to sell the space program instrumentally, citing its potential benefits for national security, industry, and the economy. However, these more pragmatic justifications ultimately fell flat, contributing to the decline of the first Space Age after the Apollo era.

  • The Artemis II mission, the most ambitious starfaring mission of Douthat's lifetime, recently circled back to Earth.
  • The original Kennedy speech at Rice University was delivered over 60 years ago.

The players

John F. Kennedy

The 35th President of the United States, who famously championed the Apollo program and the goal of landing a man on the moon.

Neil Armstrong

The first person to walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission.

Buzz Aldrin

The second person to walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission.

Jared Isaacman

The current head of NASA.

Elon Musk

The founder of SpaceX, a private space exploration company.

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What they’re saying

“Space is there, and we're going to climb it.”

— John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States

“The 21st century space race is less of a race toward physical destinations and more a quest for commercial discoveries; less of a competition with China than a race against an internal civilizational and cultural clock.”

— Ross Douthat, Columnist

What’s next

As the Artemis program continues, NASA and private space companies will need to demonstrate concrete, material, and remunerative reasons for sustained investment in space exploration in order to keep the momentum going and avoid another decline in the space program.

The takeaway

While the idealism and ambition behind space exploration are inspiring, Douthat argues that these alone are not enough to keep humanity's journey to the stars going in the long run. The 21st century space race will require finding practical, economic justifications for continued investment and activity beyond Earth's orbit.