Overview

The exploration of space is often compared with the exploration of the American West in the 19th century, probably because a majority of space writers are American but also because it offers a useful analogy. The thought of the "new frontiersmen" journeying through an unknown and often hostile environment in search of fame, fortune and, ultimately, somewhere to live is eminently transferable to space. So too are the scientific curiosities, unrivalled beauty and undeniable commercial potential of the American West, which drew so many explorers and exploiters alike to the "new frontier."

Another reason that many of those interested in space exploration at least those exposed to western media feel comfortable with the thought of space as a frontier is undoubtedly because of the 1960s science fiction series Star Trek, which famously labelled space as "The Final Frontier." Whether space, time, or some other concept that we have yet to discover and explore is, in fact, the final frontier is open to discussion, but space as a largely unknown and unexplored arena is enough for most of us.

The history of mankind's exploration of this new frontier is a relatively short one in the context of human history less than half a century but its influence on mankind has been considerable. For this reason alone, the term describing the period in which space exploration has been possible the Space Age deserves its initial capitals, to signify its importance alongside the other "ages of man," such as the Stone Age and the Iron Age.