According to German astronaut Alexander Gerst, humanity is destined to permanently expand into space. “Humanity will explore space forever. It will never stop,” stated the German ESA astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station (ISS) during a podcast with the news portal T-Online.
Looking toward the upcoming return of astronauts to the Moon, Gerst compared this current development to one of the most significant evolutionary leaps. He commented, “If we look back on this time 10,000 years from now, it will be as significant as the first fish that left the ocean to become a land creature.”
When asked about the motivation for sending astronauts back to the Moon, Gerst explained that Earth’s satellite serves as an “eighth continent” that can provide critical insights into the future of humankind. These insights include data relating to asteroid impacts, solar storms, and the origins of life.
Simultaneously, Gerst advocated for changing one’s perspective on Earth. Only from space did he fully realize the fragility of the planet. “Suddenly, this planet appears quite small against the infinity, and you realize how little there is,” the astronaut noted.
