Rosetta space probe is in the news. Built by the European Space Agency to perform a study of a comet, it was launched in 2004. Having crossed much of the solar system, which included crossing the asteroid belt, it started orbiting the comet in question earlier this year. A robotic lander named Philae launched from the space probe landed on the comet earlier today. Philae will be searching for organic compounds, such as amino acids. As the comet approaches the sun, it will be following the physical and chemical changes on the otherwise frozen body. The probe is named after the Rosetta Stone from Egypt featuring a decree in Egyptian, Demotic, and Greek scripts, and the lander is named after the Nile island where an obelisk with Greek and Egyptian inscriptions was found. So far, the space probe and the lander have been great successes. Congratulations to ESA and everyone else involved. The link with one of the cradles of our civilization is much appreciated, as well. But the only thing that is missing from Rosetta and Philae is a link with our civilization’s future. In particular, why has ESA not pushed for human colonization of space while the time has been opportune for such a venture? For it is only out there that humans could thrive indefinitely. In due time, they would come up with untold scripts gracing many a monument much more impressive than anything that could be found in Egypt or anywhere else on earth. Given enough time, they would populate much of the universe and adapt to a wide spectrum of life-bearing environments. Shucks, I am getting sentimental once again…

Addendum I (November 16, 2014)

Philae’s landing did not go all that well. Apparently, it bounced a few times. The resting place it found at last on the comet’s surface was in the shade. There were attempts to move the lander into the sunlight, so that it could replenish its batteries, but all of them failed. Some robot, this. And so Philae went to sleep yesterday, only three days after its landing. A pretty good metaphor for our civilization’s future, too. Perhaps it is good that ESA eschewed all efforts at colonization of space. They would run out of batteries in no time.

Addendum II (November 20, 2014)

According to the latest news, the Philae lander did manage to accomplish quite a bit before its batteries ran out. It even managed to send the results to earth. In particular, it found organic molecules essential for life on the surface of the comet it landed on. This is of enormous significance because it gives support to the hypothesis that life is transmitted across the universe by bodies such as comets. Called panspermia since ancient times, the hypothesis suggests that life is indestructible. In this context, a planet such as the earth is needed for its development, but not for its survival. Many other planets will provide conditions for life’s development. Anyhow, ESA’s endeavor is of enormous value in spite of the technical difficulties with the lander. Now we know that life on earth is of little if any significance for life in the universe. Hooray!