When the four astronauts on board NASA's Artemis II swung around the moon earlier this year, they set a new record for the farthest humans have ever ventured from Earth, surpassing the distance set by Apollo 13 in 1972 by some 4,000 miles. While no space mission can live up to the historic touchdown of Apollo 11, Artemis II still attracted massive public interest and inspired outpourings of "moon joy." The expedition is only the first in a planned series of ambitious missions under the Artemis program, which aims to establish a human base on the south pole of the moon during the 2030s.

China and Russia have teamed up to build their own crewed lunar base in the same region and on a similar timeline. Meanwhile, companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX hope to lock down the burgeoning extraterrestrial tourism market. But questions linger about whether launching humans is worth the danger and expense compared to sending robots.

New books suggest human space exploration is driven by our evolutionary instinct to roam. Space anthropologist Deana L. Weibel frames it as an extension of our ancient compulsion to embark on pilgrimages. Former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao concludes that people simply "need to know what's on the other side."

As our presence in space expands, the role of the astronaut is in flux. With Elon Musk and other private leaders shaping the future, advocates argue it's time for everyone to push for their visions of our off-Earth future before it's decided for them.