BeyondEarth.org Mission & Vision

VISION. To explore Outer Space and to inhabit our Solar System. To benefit humanity and Earth through the capture and utilization of the resources of space. To develop the capability to diminish or eliminate threats to Earth and its humanity.
--Bob Krone, Langdon Morris, and Kenneth Cox, Editors

"The personal knowledge, experiences and skill of these individuals are invaluable for understanding what should be done next in order to continue the quest toward future extraterrestrial goals."
--Edgar Mitchell, Sc.D., Captain, US Navy (Ret), Apollo 14 Astronaut

The quotes below do not necessarily imply an endorsement of the BeyondEarth organization.

"The Solar System is our extended home...space technology has freed humankind to move outward as a species destined to expand to other worlds...We must stimulate individual initiative and free enterprise in space...Now America can create new wealth on the space frontier to benefit the entire human community by combining the energy of the Sun with materials left in space during the formation of the Solar System...American investments on the space frontier should be sustained at a small but steady fraction of our national budget...America must work with other nations in a manner consistent with our Constitution, national security, and international agreements..."
--the Declaration for Space, including a "Rationale for Exploring and Settling the Solar System."

"Everyday, humanity lives under the threat of local, regional, and potentially global environmental catastrophe because of the substantial risk that asteroids or comets on Earth-crossing orbits go undiscovered. (12) Our world system has the inherent capability to confront this peril of nature but we need to establish an appropriate global chain of command and control of detection, inspection and redirection of these near Earth objects. It would be irresponsible of the leaders of our world system to not work together to create and maintain a more than adequate common defense of our home planet and her citizens."
--Martin Schwab

"in light of the ongoing turmoil at NASA, which you will also read about in these pages, there was a compelling need for a new vision of the future of humans in space to be written, one that integrated the visionary, managerial, philosophical, and technical perspectives."
--Bob Krone, Langdon Morris, and Kenneth Cox, Editors

"We need to see and examine and touch for ourselves. And only human beings are capable of adapting to the inevitable uncertainties posed by space travel...We do not know where this journey will end, yet we know this: human beings are headed into the cosmos [bold added]. And along this journey we'll make many technological breakthroughs. We don't know yet what those breakthroughs will be, but we can be certain they'll come, and that our efforts will be repaid many times over. We may discover resources on the moon or Mars that will boggle the imagination, that will test our limits to dream....We'll invite other nations [bold added] to share the challenges and opportunities of this new era of discovery. The vision I outline today is a journey, not a race, and I call on other nations to join us on this journey, in a spirit of cooperation and friendship [bold added]...May God bless.
--President George W. Bush Vision for Space Exploration, January 14, 2004

"...no nation can build a safer, better world alone...The magnitude of our shared responsibilities makes our disagreements look so small...We have our best chance since the rise of the nation-state in the 17th century to build a world where the great powers compete in peace instead of prepare for war... "
--the National Security Strategy of the United States of America, 2002

"... action should be taken: ... To improve the international coordination of activities related to near- Earth Objects, harmonizing the worldwide efforts directed at identification, follow-up observations and orbit prediction, while at the same time [bold added] giving consideration to developing a common strategy that would include future activities [countermeasures] related to near-Earth Objects ... "
--The Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), The Space Millennium: Vienna Declaration on Space and Human Development, July 30, 1999

"The market for satellite delivery, while significant, has limitations in size and application. I suspect the far larger market in the long term is serving people that wish to travel to space for enjoyment. For many people, as shown by a number of marketing studies, this is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and they are willing to spend a substantial portion of their savings to see that dream realized... If we believe humanity should one day expand to the stars, then people must have some way to see for themselves what space is all about. They must share in its wonders and experience firsthand its meaning. And, in so doing, open the doorway to space for all."
--Elon Musk, CEO, SpaceX (USA)

"We need a new horizon, a new sense of purpose, a new set of goals, a new frontier to move once again with might and majesty, with a sense of zest that makes life worth living, through the world in which we live. One of the most challenging frontiers left to us hangs above our heads."
--Howard Bloom